Doctor's Orders
by Elodia Celeste
Summary: Set approximately 1 year after the series ends, Jan-di and Jun-pyo's wedding is quickly approaching. Though reluctant, Ji-hu agrees to help Jun-pyo's personal assistant, American Izzie Wagner, plan his soulmate and best friend's big event. After all, who better to assist the planner in love with the groom, than the best man in love with the bride?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: All right, so I feel a little bad that I have strayed from my Community fics (and that original novel that I've been 3/4 done with for 9 months), but cursed Netflix set me on a K-drama tear and I was completely swept up in the BOF/BBF story! After the first viewing, this story nestled in my brain and just wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down. Please enjoy and pretty please share your thoughts and criticisms! I claim ownership of a few characters I hope you love, but hopefully I've done justice to the creative property of the show as well! A couple quick notes: 1. I based my spelling of characters' names on the way they appeared in the series (specifically on the F4 desks), not the way they're spelled in subtitles, 2. any time a character is speaking English (or another language) it is denoted **_like_ _so _**and 3. the full story is rated T, but there is a bonus chapter at the end if you need your M rated smut fix!**_  
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**Okay! Shutting up now! Thank you for reading!**

**Chapter 1**

"Goodnight Dr. Yun!" the bravest of a group of blushing nurses called out as Ji-hu walked out of the hospital doors. He gave them an almost imperceptible nod, but it was enough to set them off tittering and the headache that had been plaguing him sharpened. The air of the parking lot was completely tainted from car fumes and Ji-hu wondered crossly why they even bothered to send patients outside for 'fresh air'. Part of his mind did take note that at least the few days of rain had finally reached an end and the sun had made a triumphant return to the sky, but the sight of fluffy white clouds did nothing to ease his sour mood. He reached his sport bike and quickly sped off, knowing that despite the fact that it was only one in the afternoon, he should simply drive home and go to bed.

_Ji-hu, you're working too hard. You won't be able to help others if you become sick yourself!_ a voice that was not his own chided in his head. It only irritated him more, since it had been over a week since he had seen the owner of that voice. Jan-di, the only person that made his heart beat with joy, was approaching exams for her final year of medical school and when she wasn't studying she was spending her time with Jun-pyo.

_As it should be_, he thought sadly. Though his best friend had been back in Korea nearly a year, Jun-pyo's four years in America had been difficult for everyone. Despite frequent visits, phone calls and video chats, Ji-hu knew both Jun-pyo and Jan-di had suffered from the distance, and they deserved to be able to make up for lost time. Though he had done his best to keep Jan-di smiling in the meantime, anyone could clearly see that the light in her eyes was much brighter now that Jun-pyo was back and the promised ring was on her finger.

Ji-hu veered down a side street, deciding his mood was too foul for him to return home immediately. He was tired, but didn't want to cloud his home with his current miasma of self-pity. Instead he took a winding path of abandoned streets and steep hills, crisscrossing through unfamiliar parts of Seoul until he found himself idling outside the large glass façade of his family's arts center. He parked his bike, taking off his helmet and just staring for a moment at the monument to his family's dream to fill the world with art and beauty. It was then that he noticed some commotion behind the glass. Looking past the glare, he saw what looked like woman lying on the floor with a small crowd gathering around her. Immediately he rushed into the building, his headache and depression immediately forgotten as his training took over.

"Oh! Master Yun Ji-hu, thank goodness. This woman just collapsed," a familiar-looking security guard kneeling beside the body of the woman called to him as soon as he came through the door and Ji-hu began barking orders for everyone to disperse and for the guard to give him his jacket to put under her head.

"How long has she been like this?" he asked of the security guard as he took the man's place next to the woman's head.

"Just a moment. She fainted right before you pulled up."

Ji-hu began to look her over and he felt his mind almost split to give very different, yet simultaneous assessments. On one hand, he observed that she didn't show any signs of seizure, nor did she have any injuries related to a fall. Color was slowly returning to her pale cheeks and lips, but there were dark circles concealed under her eyes. On the other hand, he couldn't help but notice she was beautiful, a foreigner (likely American or British) with wavy reddish-brown hair pulled up in a messy bun, delicate facial features that slightly leaned toward sharpness and a slender, hourglass figure that was complemented by a stylish plum silk blouse and charcoal pencil skirt. His medical mind took precedence again as she began to rouse and he cupped her face gently as her eyes fluttered open.

"_Miss? Miss, just lie still. Are you okay_?" he asked in English as he watched her green eyes, behind black pillow-shaped glasses, focus on his face, noting that her pupils were equal and reactive and floating in an emerald field speckled with gold and ringed with sapphire.

"_I'm…I'm fine. I mean_, I am good," she said, switching to Korean and trying to sit up.

"No, no. Lie still. Don't move." He held her down gently and continued to watch her face carefully, looking for any signs of a more serious symptom. "Do you know where you are?"

"I, yes, I'm at the Su Am Cultural Center."

"Good. And do you remember what happened?"

"I was talking to a lady at the reception desk and began to feel lightheaded. I went to sit on a bench, but I guess I thought the floor looked more comfortable." She gave a weak chuckle and crooked smile that was contagious.

"I have already called the ambulance, Master Doctor." Ji-hu looked up to see the receptionist standing behind her desk, her face drawn with worry.

"Ambulance? Oh, I don't need an ambulance, I'm fine, I – " Ji-hu gave her a look that instantly killed any objections.

"Has this ever happened to you before?" he asked, using what Jan-di called his 'mean doctor voice'.

"No, never."

"Do you have problems with low blood sugar?"

"No."

"Blood pressure?" he asked, even though he had already checked her pulse and knew it was regular.

"No."

"Aside from the dizziness did you experience any other symptoms? Nausea, headache, blurred or double vision?"

"Not really. I just got…_oh what's the word for woozy_…"

"_Woozy_? I understand. And when was the last time you ate?"

"Um…I had half an apple this morning. So I guess that half keeps the doctor away?" He didn't respond to her attempt at humor this time and she sobered and continued. "Okay, before that I had lunch on the plane yesterday, and had a bowl of noodles for dinner."

"You just flew into Seoul yesterday?"

"Yes."

"And did you sleep much on the plane?"

"No, I don't sleep well on flights. I'm too antsy, I have to walk around a lot." Ji-hu felt instantly relieved at her words, feeling more confident they weren't dealing with a potentially fatal blood clot. "So…I'm fine, right? No need for the ambulance?" She raised her eyebrows hopefully and Ji-hu considered her seriously for a moment.

"You are most likely suffering from dehydration and exhaustion. I would like to give you an IV of fluids and do a better check of your vitals." Her face fell and Ji-hu could see the objections rising to her slightly pouted lips so he quickly continued. "I will make you this offer: you can either go in the ambulance to the hospital to be checked out there, or you can take a short taxi ride with me to my family's clinic."

"I'm getting a shot no matter what I choose, huh?"

"Yes." He almost smiled again at the way she screwed up her face at the prospect of a needle.

"Fine. I choose option B then."

"Okay," he said looking up at the receptionist. "Call them back and tell them we won't need the ambulance. Then call me a car."

"Yes, sir."

"You sound like my boss," the woman muttered and Ji-hu realized his tone had been a touch sharper than necessary.

"Do you want to try to sit?" he asked, shaking off her sotto voce criticism.

"Yes, please. As it turns out, the bench probably would have been more comfortable."

"Well, I will have to make a note to the Chairman of the Board to re-evaluate the softness of the floor," he quipped as he slowly helped her rise to a seated position. She closed her eyes for a moment and he moved his arm around her for support while she curled her legs under her.

"Here. I grabbed a bottle of water," the security guard offered and Ji-hu accepted it with a nod.

"Thank you. Here. Take small sips. The more you drink, the less the needle's going to hurt on your IV."

"Ugh, don't remind me," she said with a shiver, but accepted the bottle of water and offered the guard a beaming smile. "Thank you. Sorry to be so much trouble."

"Oh, oh no trouble at all, miss," the man blushed and nodded several times before he glanced at Ji-hu and instantly sobered. "I will return to work. Please let me know if you need anything else, Master Doctor." He quickly retreated, and Ji-hu wondered for a moment what had caused his sudden change in demeanor. He was distracted, however, when he felt the woman shiver again.

"Are you cold?"

"Well, this might surprise you, but it seems lying on marble isn't comfortable _or_ warm," she answered with an apologetic smile. Ji-hu immediately took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, ignoring her protests.

"Doctor's orders," he said simply and she gave him a dubious look.

"I'm guessing you say that a lot to get your own way." He looked at her then gave a tiny shrug.

"I don't really have to say anything to get my way," he answered, looking out through the windows at the front of the building, remembering the night he had spent cleaning the building with Jan-di. She, too, had collapsed from exhaustion that night, and he wondered idly for a moment what it was about women that stopped them from taking care of themselves.

_Hey! When's the last time _you _had a decent night's sleep?_ The voice of Jan-di popped unbidden in his head and he almost smiled at her imagined rebuke.

_Touché, Jan-di_, he thought as he watched his car pull to the front of the building.

"Do you think you're ready to stand?" he asked her, looking at her again and noticing, with satisfaction, that the bottle of water was now half empty.

She simply nodded in response and so Ji-hu rose to his feet then reached his hands to pull her up. She set her water by her bag before slipping her hands into his and letting him help her to her feet. She wobbled as soon as she stood and Ji-hu instantly wrapped his arms around her, letting her lean against him. Her head drooped for just a moment before she seemed to recover and looked to him. Ji-hu was suddenly very aware that her lips were mere inches from his, and for some reason this made him decidedly uncomfortable. His eyes were wide and he swallowed hard as he watched a blush bloom over her cheeks, his heart hammering in his chest. They parted, though he kept a hand on her arm to make certain she was steady.

"You're all right?" he asked, a bit surprised his voice sounded perfectly even and characteristically cool.

"Yep. Fine and dandy," she returned, her voice pitched slightly higher than it had been previously.

He wrapped his arm around her, ignoring the odd rush he felt touching her, and escorted her to the waiting car. Someone followed on their heels with her belongings, which Ji-hu graciously accepted once she was settled into the car. He gave the driver instructions to the clinic and took a seat beside her in the back on the vehicle. It was just a moment before they pulled up in front of the clinic, and Ji-hu tried to dampen the stab of melancholy he felt every time he surveyed the building. It had been closed for two years now, since his grandfather's death, and Ji-hu still wasn't sure why he was hesitating to reopen it. He excused himself by stating he wanted to complete his current surgical residency and fully develop his skills before he ran his own practice. In reality, he couldn't bear to be in the place alone, surrounded by memories both happy and sad of his grandfather. He knew, once Jan-di finally graduated, he would not hesitate to open the practice, with her by his side to fill the place with cheer and delight the patients with her unique charm.

In the meantime, he had staff clean the building every other day, and still maintained a complete stock of supplies and medicine. He quickly unlocked the building as the driver helped the woman from the car until Ji-hu returned to her side to usher her into the clinic. He gave instructions over his shoulder to have his motorcycle retrieved and he knew without looking that the driver would bow in response and immediately complete the task. He turned his focus to the woman on his arm, who, in her designer stilettos, was just a few inches shorter than him.

"This is your family's clinic? It looks closed," she commented as he escorted her inside, turning on lights as they passed until he reached one of the two small exam rooms.

"It is. My grandfather ran the clinic, but passed away while I was still in medical school. Once I finish my residency I will reopen it."

"But you _are_ a fully-fledged doctor, right? I didn't just trust my health to a student, right?"

He smiled at the sudden concern on her face and lifted the back of the exam table so that she could sit on it like a reclining chair.

"No, I am a doctor. Right now I'm just working on becoming a surgeon as well."

"Oh. Well, I don't really need you to be good at surgery, so that's fine."

He smiled to himself as he gathered all of the supplies he needed, feeling her eyes travel around the room, taking in every detail until they finally landed on him. "Thank you, by the way, for taking care of me. And for not making me go to the hospital. I'm not totally sure how my new insurance works, but I will be more than happy to compensate you for – "

"There's no need for that. This is a simple good deed expected from all doctors."

"I don't think all doctors would open a private clinic for a complete stranger, just to take her temperature and rehydrate her," her voice was dry and pitched low, the warmth of her humor contagious.

"True. Not all doctors have a private clinic at their disposal." Ji-hu rolled a tray and stool next to her and tightened a blood pressure cuff around her arm.

She remained silent while he did his exam, taking her vitals and temperature, all while taking in other details about her. He noticed she had a dusting of freckles on her nose and a small, faint birthmark right behind her left ear. He noticed her perfume had hints of rose and lily of the valley, as well as jasmine and orange blossom. He also noticed that his fingers were tingling from touching her, and the warmth was quickly spreading up his arms.

"Ahem, so everything seems fine."

"So…no IV?" She grinned up at him hopefully and Ji-hu stifled a smile as he shook his head.

"No, you need an IV. Can you roll up your sleeves?" Ji-hu busied himself preparing a saline bag and the smallest needle he had. He took her arm once her sleeve was pushed above the elbow and softly pressed the skin on the inside bend of her arm, searching for a vein.

"It's not going to be easy. My nurse back home has trouble any time she has to do a blood draw." Ji-hu didn't respond as he checked her other arm the same way. He let his eyes fall closed and focused on his fingertips, which, despite their calluses, were extremely sensitive. After a moment he found one he could work with and immediately tightened a band of rubber around her arm just above the elbow. He kept one finger on his target while he reached for the hypodermic, pulling the cover off the needle with his teeth before spitting it to the floor. He glanced at her hand and saw that it was balled into a fist with her nails digging into her palm. He looked up to her face, surprised by the tension he saw on it.

"This isn't going to be that bad, I promise. I would put it in your hand, but it will take longer to give you the fluids that way, and it tends to bruise more."

"No. It's fine. Just stab me and get it over with."

~o~

Izzie clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut, her stomach lurching as she anticipated the bite of the needle piercing her arm. She tried not to think about how pathetic he had to think she was: a grown woman terrified of needles. She held her breath, but instead of the expected pinch in her arm, she felt his knuckles lightly brush her cheek and exhaled as his thumb traced the skin just below her bottom lip. Her eyes flew open as she curiously met his unreadable brown stare.

"If you're tense it's only going to hurt more."

"I know."

"What helps you relax?"

_Certainly not you touching me_, she thought as she tried not to become distracted by the pad of his thumb sliding from the corner of her mouth, down to her chin, then back up to the opposite side.

_Seriously, what are the odds of collapsing into the arms of the most gorgeous doctor in Korea? Hell, he gives McDreamy _and_ McSteamy a run for their money_, she thought as she got temporarily lost studying his features. He was so handsome she could only describe him as beautiful, with his copper hair seeming to cast a glow around his already radiant face. She realized, suddenly, that she was staring while he waited for her to answer so she tried to quickly think of all the things she used to unwind, on the rare occasions she forced herself to do so.

_Bubble bath? Massage? Reading a smutty romance novel…gah, seriously Izzie? What the hell is wrong with you!_

She fought the heat that started to rise to her cheeks as she wracked her brain for anything appropriate to say.

"Music," she finally blurted, relieved that the word had appeared in her mind. She watched as his eyes softened, though his mouth never moved, and he stepped away from her.

"What sort of music do you like?"

"In general? A little bit of everything. To relax? Jazz, or classical piano." His back was to her, so she couldn't gauge his reaction. He retrieved something from his pocket and in a few moments the sound of a piano filled the room. Izzie smiled as he turned back toward her, her headache easing slightly for the first time in a week.

"_Chopin, Nocturne in C minor_," Izzie breathed.

"_Opus 48, number 1_," he returned, his face impassive.

"It's one of my favorites," she murmured as she closed her eyes and leaned back into table, becoming carried away as the melody swelled.

"Mine too," he said, just before she felt the prick of the needle. Her eyes opened in surprise and she found the faintest hint of a smile on his lips as he connected her IV and taped the needle in place.

"Oh…you're good."

"I've had a great deal of practice with difficult patients. Our school ran clinics for the disadvantaged every three months and there were always a lot of children. That was how I learned to draw blood and give injections."

"So glad I'm on par with children," Izzie grumbled as she watched him clean up. He stilled and turned to her with slight amusement lighting his eyes.

"I didn't say that. None of them could differentiate between a _nocturne_ and a _serenade_."

"What are they teaching these kids today?" she asked with a smirk and she thought she caught a hint of a grin on his lips before he turned to finish putting away his supplies. She sat for moment, at a loss for anything else to say, once again looking around the room. She noticed a framed picture hanging on the wall of her doctor with an elderly gentleman. They were both holding fishing poles and each had a large catch they proudly displayed, grinning into the camera.

"Is that your grandfather?" she asked, gesturing to the picture with her free arm when he turned back to look at her. He followed her motion to the picture and he gave a small, sad smile.

"Yes. About a year before he died."

"You have his eyes," she observed, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at the picture.

"Oh?"

"Mmhm. Kind eyes. They show you're trustworthy." She turned to him, and though he didn't say anything she could see he was mulling over her words. She leaned back trying to find a comfortable way to adjust her arms as she let her eyes close.

"Is that why you came with me so willingly? Without knowing for sure I wasn't a quack?"

She let his questions hang for a second before she gave a slight shrug. "That's part of it. But it was also how everyone else deferred to you, the way they looked at you with awe and…well, fear. It reminded me of how people treat my boss. Although he...oh shit – _my boss_!" Izzie sat straight up in her seat and immediately began searching for her purse, wincing and cursing when the IV pulled in her arm.

"What are you doing?" he asked, taking her shoulders and gently pushing her back down.

"I need my phone. JP is probably having a panic attack by now that I haven't checked in."

"JP?"  
"My boss. I was supposed to be checking out the Foundation and then visit this florist for an estimate before we met to discuss his dinner schedule for the week."

"I'm sure your boss – "

"Whatever you're about to say about him being 'understanding' is completely wrong. He's the most impatient, rash idiot I've ever known. I need to at least text him to let him know where I am. _God, he's going to have a fit_."

She brushed away his hands and grabbed her IV pole so she could reach down for her purse without snagging her arm. She couldn't quite reach the bag and suddenly another hand appeared and snatched it from the floor. "_What the hell_?" she cried as she straightened and glared at him. The doctor simply held her purse, completely unaffected by her outburst.

"I will permit you to send one text to let your boss know that you are fine but under strict physician's orders to rest for the day. You will then give me back your phone and I will turn it off so you don't have to worry about it bothering you."

"_You've got to be kidding me_. No way. I agreed to let you stab me, but I have way too much to do to sit around for the rest of the afternoon."

"If you're going to get this worked up then I'm afraid you can't even make that text."

"Are you serious?" she asked, even though his look made it clear that he was. All warmth was gone from his eyes, replaced with a formidable look that would have made her shrink away if she wasn't so used to receiving similar glares from her boss.

"It's your choice. One text or nothing."

She pouted for a moment, her brain scanning through all possibilities, searching for any leverage she might have in making a deal with this man.

"One text and one email with his schedule and I promise I will go straight to my hotel and will sleep until tomorrow once I'm done with this," she bargained as she lifted her arm to indicate the IV. The doctor considered her a moment before slightly tilting his head in agreement. He reached into her purse and quickly retrieved her phone, handing it to her before he crossed his arms over her chest and watched her. She tried not to let his glare bother her as she unlocked her phone.

As expected, there were several texts, each increasingly impatient, inquiring as to her status. She rolled her eyes at his questions of whether she had gotten lost or wandered into the Pacific. She had been his personal assistant for over two years in the United States, having met him two years before that as she was completing her degrees in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs and Communications, and the man had a marginal sense of direction. She quickly composed a response, giving him enough information that he would be satisfied, but not enough to cause any concern.

_Not that he would be concerned…not now that he's back with his fiancée_, she thought with a twinge of disappointment. She quickly bit back the feeling, however, and ended her text with an encouragement to take said fiancée on a date that evening and the promise that she would report to his office first thing in the morning. She flashed the waiting doctor her phone just before she pressed send, then quickly composed an email, sharing the necessary calendar for his review.

"There. All done," she said after hitting send on the email as well, and she handed over the phone with a sigh. He merely hummed in acknowledgement as he turned off the phone, stowed it in the purse and carried the bag over to rest on a desk.

Izzie dropped her head against the padded exam table as he sauntered back into the room, checking her bag before sitting on the stool beside her. The Chopin had shifted to Debussy, and Izzie found herself listening intently to the music.

"This is all the same musician, isn't it?" she asked between movements of the suite.

"Yes. How did you – "

"The phrasing. He lets the end of each phrase linger, like he's making you hold your breath in anticipation for the next one."

"Astute. Why does a secretary know so much about classical music?"

"I'm not a secretary; I'm a personal assistant. And I dated a classical pianist through most of university."

"Apologies. I didn't realize there was such an important distinction."

"Well, I suppose here there really isn't. I'm still getting adjusting. It was different working for a Korean company in the United States; it was still based in what I was used to. Now being on the native soil, I have a lot of adapting to do."

"I'm sure you'll manage. And despite being an 'impatient idiot' your boss must be pleased with you to bring you from America."

"Oh, I'm 'indispensable'. He would be absolutely lost without me," she quoted JP with a grin, still floating slightly as she remembered when he had said those words. He had been exuberant about returning to Seoul permanently and she had been fighting tears at the idea of him leaving her. He had suddenly noticed her sniffling and had grabbed her face, stooping to look her directly in the eye as he called her stupid.

'You don't think I'm leaving you here, do you? I am the most powerful businessman in Korea – I must have the very best things.'

'And that includes – '

'Of course that includes you, _Bear_. You're indispensible.'

"So why did your boss send you to the Su Am Arts Center?" The doctor's voice broke through her reminiscing and she blinked as the memories faded.

"Oh. He's getting married in two months. Naturally, I'm in charge of the arrangements."

"Ah. So you're a wedding planner, too."

"Right now I am." Izzie felt the familiar twist of her heart and noticed, as she began to think through the lists of tasks she still needed to accomplish, that her headache must have at some point subsided because it was now returning with a vengeance.

"Stop thinking so loudly."

"Sorry?" she asked, her brow wrinkling as she looked at the stoic physician.

"When I told you to rest, I meant body and mind. Your exhaustion is as much psychological as it is physical."

"Sorry."

"Just listen to the music. Otherwise I'm going to have to slip a sedative into your IV – "

"No! No need for that!" she interrupted, waving emphatically with her free arm. "I'll relax, I promise." She gave him a bright grin before closing her eyes and settling back against the table. "I'll just listen to the music and won't think about anything at all."

She thought she heard him scoff, but decided not to investigate. Instead she listened to the music, intrigued as the artist had strayed from Western classics and moved into what sounded like something original and, possibly, extemporaneous. Soon she was completely lost in the delicate melody that blossomed like a tight rose bud, opening to layers upon layers of melodic petals. Soon those petals began to wilt, but by the time the first fell she had fallen asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When Izzie awoke she immediately realized two things: one, she was finally rid of the headache that had been plaguing her for nearly a week and two, she was no longer on the exam table of a clinic. She quickly sat up, realizing she was still fully dressed, but lying in her hotel bed. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and fumbled for the light, knocking her glasses from the nightstand in the process. As soon as the lamp was on she retrieved her glasses, putting them on and looking quickly around the room. She was alone, but despite her best efforts, she could not remember how she had gotten there. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed something on her nightstand and quickly turned her attention to the glass of water and note. She took a long sip from the glass as she picked up the piece of paper, clearly taken from the hotel's stock.

'_Miss Isadora Wagner_,

It is wise of you to keep both an electronic and paper planner, with all of your travel and accommodations arrangements. The hotel staff is under strict instructions not to disturb you. There is a tray of cold food that I would encourage you to finish before you return to bed. I also urge you to eat the breakfast that will be delivered to your room promptly at 7:30 am.

Under no circumstances are you to check your phone prior to completing your breakfast.

If you have any questions or fall ill again, please call me…'

The note ended with his number, along with a scribbled signature that, despite her best efforts, Izzie could not decipher.

"_Guess it really is a doctor thing_," she muttered with a smile as she returned the note to the nightstand. She finished the glass of water and checked the time, surprised to find it was only eight o'clock. She rose and stretched, then began to change into her pajama shorts and oversized university shirt that she had stolen from an ex. She examined the tray of food that had been left on her table, surprised by how loudly her stomach growled as soon as she lifted the cover from one of the plates. She sat and quickly devoured the sandwiches, salad and fruit that had been left for dessert. Once every plate was cleared she sighed, sitting back in her chair as she stifled a yawn. After a moment Izzie rose and completed her nighttime routine of teeth brushing and face washing before she crawled back into bed, staying awake just long enough to turn off the bedside lamp.

When she next woke, sunlight was streaming into her hotel room and there was an impatient pounding on her door. Rubbing her eyes, she groggily rose and shuffled over the plush carpet of her suite, not bothering to check the peephole before she released the deadbolt and opened the door.

"Good morning, _boss_," she greeted as the tall man burst into her room, a terrified looking bellhop on his heels with a cart of what she assumed was her breakfast. She tipped the man who practically ran out of the room and ignored the fuming Korean now pacing her suite.

"Is that all you have to say to me? After shirking your duties and abandoning me with barely a word?"

She blinked at him for a moment before gesturing to her table. "Would you like some breakfast?"

Izzie bit her cheeks to prevent the smile from tilting her lips as she watched the great Chairman Gu Jun-pyo stammer and seethe. She sat at her table and was pleasantly surprised to find a plate of pancakes under one of the covers next to a dispenser that looked to be full of maple syrup. She started to reach for another lid when suddenly a large hand closed around her wrist and she was pulled from her chair and into a tight embrace.

Her breathing stopped and she froze, her heart hammering against her ribs as Jun-pyo's arms tightened around her, one hand cradling her head to his chest.

"JP,"

"Don't worry me like that ever again, do you understand? Seoul may have less crime than New York, but there are plenty of dangerous places. And if you get into trouble, you should call me. Not run off with some country doctor."

Izzie's pulse was almost returning to normal as she relished in the feel of him holding her. His words caught her attention though, and she found herself pulling away slightly to defend her doctor.

"He was a surgical resident and a highly skilled doctor from one of Seoul's best hospitals." Though she didn't know if the last part was true, she had no doubt in the veracity of her assumption. She simply could not imagine Dr. McGleam-y working anywhere but the very best and most important hospital.

"I don't care who he was, _Bear_, you should not have just gone off with some strange doctor! He could have murdered you!" Izzie felt her usual mix of irritation and delight as he called her by her pet name: even though she knew he was calling her dumb when he used it, he at least softened the blow by always saying it in English.

"Oh, now, don't be so dramatic. I'm not some naïve foreign exchange student that can barely order a bowl of noodles. I've traveled nearly as much as you have in your adult life and I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Really? Is that why you fainted and caused this whole mess in the first place?"

"I – _shit_." He had cornered her on that one. Izzie returned to her seat at the breakfast table, but this time Jun-pyo joined her in the seat opposite. While he had blown through his initial irritation, his dark eyes were still boring through her and Izzie knew he was still in his over-reaction mode.

"You should take today off."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous."

"Ridic – you collapsed yesterday!"

"Yes, and I had a lovely IV and several hours of sleep and am now more than ready to get back to work. It's only 62 days until your wedding and we have barely scratched the surface on the planning."

"Geum Jan-di and I can handle – "

"Geum Jan-di needs to devote her attention to her studies so she can become a talented doctor and I won't have to rely on a complete stranger for my healthcare. And you don't know the first thing about planning a wedding. Especially not one that would satisfy your mother."

"Nothing about this wedding is going to satisfy the Witch," he murmured, looking away to the window as Izzie began to dig into her pancakes.

"She may still be displeased about your choice of bride, but I guarantee she will not be able to voice one criticism about the wedding itself. It will be flawless," she said around large bites of syrup soaked flapjacks. Jun-pyo chuckled, his attention returning from the dark place it always wandered when his mother was mentioned. Izzie had difficulty swallowing her food as she felt her throat close. Somehow, she was always startled by how attractive he was when he smiled. It was like witnessing the sun bursting from behind dark storm clouds and causing rainbows to appear everywhere. She reveled in the moments that she could bring about that smile that lit up the room and exalted the rare occasions she was able to make him truly laugh.

"Always my confident _Bear_. I suppose you have a plan, then, for the bridesmaid situation?"

She eyed him suspiciously, familiar with the smug smile that indicated he was setting her up.

"Care to enlighten me, _boss_?"

"Well, the other F4 will obviously be my groomsmen…but Geum Jan-di only has one friend."

"You said everyone loves Jan-di."

"They do. But that 'everyone' does not include any women that can act as bridesmaids."

He continued to smirk as Izzie abandoned her plate and began to sip her orange juice, thinking over her options.

"So we need two more women. Okay,,,Yi-jeong is dating Chu Ga-eul…don't the other F4 have any girlfriends?"

"Woo-bin has several, but I don't know how you'll decide which to pick." He was sincerely amused now and Izzie speared a piece of melon in frustration.

"Fine. What about Yun Ji-hu?" At the mention of the name Jun-pyo instantly sobered and Izzie watched his demeanor change carefully.

"The woman Ji-hu loves will already be in the wedding. She cannot be a bridesmaid."

Izzie processed his words, her eyebrow raising as she set down her fork.

"You mean…Geum Jan-di?"

"Mm." His affirmation almost made her jaw drop. In all of their years together, in all of their many conversations about Jan-di and Ji-hu, he had never mentioned that he and his best friend were in love with the same girl.

"Isn't that going to be awkward?"

"Not as awkward as Jan-di being a bridesmaid in my wedding to another woman," he argued and while Izzie had to concede his point, she still felt ill-at-ease.

_Hypocrite. It's no stranger than planning the wedding of the man you love_, a sardonic voice sneered in her head and Izzie took a sip of juice to compose herself. Luckily, at that moment Jun-pyo's phone began to chime. She waived for him to take the call and busied herself with finishing her breakfast, the words of her doctor echoing in the back of her mind as she cleaned every plate. When Jun-pyo ended the call all merriment was gone from his face, replaced by a look that was all business.

"I need you to rearrange my schedule tonight. There's a charity event sponsored by the Foundation and a possible investor from Japan will be attending."

"Oh the ballet at the center? I saw the posters yesterday in the lobby. How many seats should I reserve?"

"No, those are taken care of. Just take care of my schedule. Oh. And you'll need something to wear."

"Me?"

"You know my Japanese isn't as good as yours." She grinned, but shook her head.

"You just like showing off that you have an American that speaks so many languages." He shrugged, the smirk returning to his face. Izzie sighed and lifted her juice glass. "Afternoon shopping it is."

"You should probably also pick up something for Jan-di. She has some sort of clinic for the poor today, and she's so bad at shopping." His demeanor shifted, his smile becoming a little more genuine as his thoughts turned to his fiancée.

Izzie rose from the table, her own mood sobering. She stretched and glanced around the room, finally locating her purse on a table by the door. She retrieved her phone and immediately began rearranging meetings and appointments, before pulling out her leather-bound planner to do the same. A strange lump in the binding caused her to pause, and she carefully let the book fall open to the marked page. Nestled in the binding was a small thumb drive that she did not recall, and certainly had never used as a bookmark. She lifted it, turning it over in her palm when unfamiliar writing caught her attention. Notes had been added to yesterday's date, crossing out her appointments and writing the word 'rest' next to the date, as well as times added to her schedule for the day for 'lunch' and 'dinner'.

_Very thorough, Doctor_, she thought, nibbling her lip to keep from grinning as she wondered what was on the thumb drive.

"Hey! _Izzi_e-_Bear_, are you listening to me?"

"All ears, _boss_," she replied as she turned back to him, cradling the planner to her chest. For some reason, she didn't want to share her doctor's attention with Jun-pyo, suspecting that he would not appreciate the small invasion of her privacy he had committed.

"Well, make sure you find Geum Jan-di early enough that she can be ready before dinner. And don't work too hard! If you faint in front of President Akiyama tonight I may have to fire you."

"Understood, Chairman." She bowed slightly and clearly heard him scoff before he rose from his chair and crossed to the door, pausing briefly beside her. She held her breath waiting for him to speak, but he seemed to think better of it as he then walked out of the room.

Izzie sighed, her heart aching for a moment as she looked down at the carpet by her toes.

_He's getting married to the woman he loves in 62 days. It's time you start letting go, don't you think?_

She shook her head and abandoned the jump drive and planner, launching herself toward the bathroom so she could prepare for yet another busy day.

~o~

Ji-hu could not shake the feeling of restlessness that had plagued him since he had woken. He had the day off from the hospital, considering the event at the Center that evening, but he really had no involvement in the day of preparations and, therefore, nothing to occupy his time until the ballet. He considered whether his fitfulness was caused by his anticipation for the performance that evening; he was thrilled that the famed Mariinsky Ballet was visiting his Foundation, and further pleased that the event was in support of one of his personal favorite charities, Save the Children, Korea.

Ji-hu checked his phone for want of anything else to occupy his hands and his heart skipped when he found he had a text from Jan-di. He opened the message and found a picture of her and a small girl frowning into the camera with the message: 'Sae-byul misses Doctor Prince. I do too'. He smiled as he slipped his phone in his pocket and grabbed his helmet, zipping his jacket as he stepped into the brisk spring.

The sun was shining again, but Ji-hu barely paid it heed as he strapped on his helmet and mounted his motorcycle. He sped off towards the university-run clinic, knowing they would welcome his assistance gladly as the doctors were always slightly overwhelmed treating the many issues of the children that appeared for their examinations and immunizations. He felt his restlessness subside slightly as he navigated the streets, feeling relieved that he had found something to occupy his time.

_And see Jan-di_, he thought, his pulse increasing again. Despite the fact that she had refused him when he had confessed his feelings for her, and though he had long ago accepted her choice of Jun-pyo, he still couldn't seem to quash his love for her. She made him feel like a whole person, something he hadn't experienced since his parents' deaths, and he reasoned that this was why he couldn't ignore his feelings for her. Still, tension crept through his shoulders as his thoughts dwelt on her impending nuptials and how things would invariably change in their relationship once she married his best friend.

_I need to find some time for Rui_, he thought. It had been weeks since he'd visited his prized horse, and Ji-hu suddenly craved a long ride.

_Maybe Jan-di will have time after the clinic._

He approached the area where the makeshift tents were set up, surprised that the number of children seemed to have doubled since he had last volunteered. He parked his motorbike and took off his helmet, scanning the crowd of patients and doctors until he finally spotted Jan-di, who was getting one of her pigtails pulled by a small boy with a devilish grin.

"Hey! That's not very nice," he called to the child as he walked through the crowd, everyone instantly parting as he approached.

"Seonbae," Jan-di smiled brightly, and Ji-hu had to ignore her to maintain his glare at the boy, who still held her hair.

"Apologize."  
The boy looked terrified, but instantly nodded and released Jan-di's hair.

"Sorry," he whispered, before sprinting away from them.

"Hey, you still need your shot!" Jan-di called after him, but the boy had already disappeared in the crowd of children by the swing set.

"I see you're still a favorite with the patients," Ji-hu quipped and Jan-di laughed, the sound making Ji-hu feel warm despite the chilly breeze that was cutting through his jacket.

"They've all been like that today. The weather's changing, so all they want to do is play." Ji-hu nodded in agreement, wondering if that was why he was suffering as well.

"Doctor Prince!" a young voice squealed and Ji-hu's eyes widened as a skinny pair of arms suddenly latched around his thighs. He looked down at the beaming face of one of the orphans.

"Hello, Sae-byul."

"Doctor Prince I thought you forgot us. We've been waiting for you, but you never come anymore." The five year-old's eyes were dark and her little lip was drawn into a pout.

"Sae-byul, we talked about this, remember? Seonbae works at the hospital now," Jan-di knelt beside the girl, but Sae-byul paid her no heed.

"But hospitals are sad! That's where people die. Why would you want to be there, Doctor Prince?" She finally released him so that he could also kneel, taking her arms and smiling warmly at her.

"Because I have to be there to try and make sure people don't die, Sae-byul."

She seemed to consider his words gravely for a moment before her face immediately split into a bright smile.

"Come push me on the swings!" she cried, grabbing his hand and pulling him off towards the playground.

"Jan-di – "

"Have fun! I have work to do!" she called after him, waving and laughing as Sae-byul forced her way through the other children until she was seated on a swing. He resigned himself to the following hours of pushing the kids on the swings, laughing as they constantly begged to go higher. By the time Jan-di found her way back over to him his arms were exhausted, but the odd tension had finally been released.

"You look happy, seonbae," Jan-di commented, taking a seat on one of the abandoned swings as the last group of children took off for the slides.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. Sometimes I think...nevermind." She shook her head and turned her attention to the sky, squinting at the sun.

"What is it?" Ji-hu asked, curious what it was that she didn't feel comfortable telling him.

"I just...sometimes I think you won't let yourself be happy. Like you don't deserve it. You forget when you're around children, though. Each of the F4 does. Honestly, sometimes I want to surround you all with children all the time, just to keep you all smiling honest smiles."

Ji-hu was relieved Jan-di wouldn't look at him as he took in her words. Everything she said was absolutely true, but he hadn't expected her to so bluntly make such an astute observation. She finally glanced his direction then bowed her head.

"I'm sorry, seonbae. I shouldn't have said – "

"You wouldn't be Geum Jan-di if you weren't nosy," he interrupted with a smile to let her know he wasn't offended. After so many years of friendship he would have thought she would have grown completely comfortable speaking honestly with him. Of course, being engaged to someone as temperamental as Jun-pyo would make anyone hesitant to speak her mind candidly.

"How are your studies?" he asked, mostly to turn the subject off of himself and his inability to find happiness. Jan-di groaned and kicked the dirt at her feet.

"Not good. It's harder to study when I don't have you around to tutor and quiz me."  
"I can still do that. I haven't –"

"Oh no, Ji-hu-seonbae. You have enough to worry about. Besides, I should prove that I can do this on my own. Otherwise I can never have any confidence in my ability as a doctor."

"As you wish," Ji-hu acquiesced. In truth, he felt she had a point; if she didn't pass the exams on her own she would always have lingering doubt as to her qualifications to practice medicine. Ji-hu had little doubt, however, that she would pass. She was clumsy, and not the brightest pupil, but she cared more than other person he had met and that quality alone was enough to make her an excellent doctor in his book. He was anxious for her to finally be done with school so that he could reopen his grandfather's clinic for her, though of course he would be working there as well. It was her dream, however, to become a doctor, and Ji-hu knew that she would be the favorite of every patient when they did have the clinic operational again.

_Well, perhaps not every patient_, he thought with a smile as he recalled the pretty American he had treated the day before. He remembered her bright smile, and the way her pupils had dilated when he had cupped her cheek to distract her from the shot. Perhaps it was arrogance on his part, but he had the strong suspicion that the lovely personal assistant would favor him as her doctor over sweet Jan-di.

"Oh, what does he want now!" Jan-di's exclamation cut through Ji-hu's reverie and he looked to her quickly, following her line of sight to an expensive silver sedan that had pulled off the road and idled near them. Ji-hu recognized it immediately as one of the Gu family's vehicles, as clearly Jan-di had as well. Ji-hu watched as she retrieved her phone, reading her messages with a scowl.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"No," she sighed. "But unfortunately I have to go. Apparently I have to get ready for some event tonight."

"Oh the ballet? You'll love it. They're performing Sleeping Beauty."

Despite her ferocity, Ji-hu knew Jan-di had a soft spot for fairytales. Personally, he had hoped they would perform Swan Lake, but realized the tragic tale was perhaps not the best choice for a children's charity event.

"I just hope Jun-pyo doesn't spend the whole evening working. He never relaxes anymore."

Ji-hu wished he could relieve her concern, but he knew Jun-pyo: the man had never enjoyed ballet, opera or any other classical art form. He was confident his friend was only attending because there was the possibility of business to be conducted while giving the appearance of generosity.

"Aish, I better go before they come and drag me," she muttered as she glared at the car that sat waiting for her. "I'm sorry we didn't have a chance to talk, seonbae. Perhaps tonight?"

"Of course." He gave her a smile that he knew would assuage her guilt and watched her trudge toward the car, a man in a suit appearing in time to let her in the vehicle. Ji-hu stood for a moment, surveying the now empty playground and wondered what he should do with himself for the next few hours.

_I suppose I have time to take that ride afterall_, he thought as he walked back towards his motorcycle, fastening his helmet before taking off in the direction of his stables.

By the time Ji-hu had showered, dressed and reached the Foundation, his restlessness had been completely cured. He was almost giddy to see the dancers perform, and practically rushed through his greetings of important patrons in his hurry to reach his private box.

"Hey! Ji-hu!"

Ji-hu stifled a sigh as he stopped, turning in the direction of the familiar voice. He found Yi-jeong and Woo-bin smiling and waving at him, each with champagne and dates in tow. Ji-hu quickly crossed to them, grabbing a flute of champagne along the way.

"_Yo, yo my man, what is up_?" Woo-bin greeted him as he nodded to his friend, Chu Ga-eul, and the tall, attractive woman hanging on Woo-bin's arm.

"Good evening."

"How've you been? I've barely seen you since I got back," Yi-jeong greeted him, his arm sliding around Ga-eul's waist naturally, though the girl immediately blushed. Since Yi-jeong had returned from Sweden the two had been very seriously dating, but the young schoolteacher still seemed in awe that she was truly the F4 Casanova's only girlfriend.

"You've been occupied yourself. How's the new exhibit?"

"Should be opening in a month. I'm still not satisfied with the layout and we have to change a great deal of the lighting, but it should be brilliant when it's finished."

"So modest, this one. He spends time in Europe and thinks he's God's gift to pottery!" Woo-bin chimed in with a laugh.

"He thought he was God's gift before he went to Europe," Ji-hu returned, causing both of his friends to laugh.

"All right, all right, don't embarrass me in front of my lady. But what have you been up to Ji-hu? Woo-bin mentioned you were working at a hospital?"

"I'm completing a surgical residency, yes."

"But I thought you became a doctor so you could run your grandfather's clinic?"

Ji-hu hesitated in his answer to Yi-jeong's question. Thankfully, he was saved from answering by Woo-bin.

"Oh, hey, there's Jun-pyo and Jan-di!" The group followed his gaze and quickly found their tall friend, surrounded by a crowd of people that simply stared at him, admiring one of the most powerful men in the country. Ji-hu was more interested, however, in admiring Jun-pyo's companion. Jan-di was dressed in a simple pale pink gown with a frothy tea-length skirt decorated with large organza rosettes. She tried to conceal her boredom, but when she met eyes with Ji-hu her face lit up into a bright smile and she tugged on Jun-pyo's arm to get his attention. He looked in their direction, excused himself from conversation and led his fiancée to their circle.

"Good evening, seonbaes. Hi Ga-eul," Jan-di greeted them cheerfully before hugging her best friend.

"You look beautiful! That dress is so pretty!" Ga-eul admired the dress and Jan-di's smile grew wider.

"Isn't it? Izzie found it for me. She's so sweet, she even found matching shoes."

"Is she here? I haven't seen her."

Ji-hu checked out of the conversations as the women began to talk about clothing and his friends began to discuss the latest football news. Ji-hu nursed his champagne, choosing to watch the activity of the room, taking a mental attendance of who among the elite were attending and what new faces were appearing in the crowd. After a moment the lobby lights flashed, indicating that the curtain time was approaching.

"Ji-hu, will you be joining us in our box?" Jun-pyo asked, Jan-di reappearing on his arm.

"Of course you are, aren't you?" she asked, and Ji-hu felt the refusal die on his lips.

"Of course," he agreed, then followed the group upstairs and to the door numbered for Shinhwa Group's private box. He paused outside the door, allowing the other's to enter.

"Just a moment," he excused himself as he spotted a server approaching through the thinning crowd. He placed his empty glass on the young woman's tray and reached for another flute. He was surprised, however, when his fingers landed not on glass, but on soft flesh. He looked up from the hand and found himself staring into a pair of large hazel eyes he hadn't expected to see again.

"You," he whispered, too stunned to realize he was still holding her hand on the flute.

"D-doctor! What are you – "

"Hey, Ji-hu they're start-oh. Izzie. There you are." Ji-hu quickly snatched his hand away at the sound of Jun-pyo's voice and the woman blushed slightly as she took the champagne.

"Sorry, _boss_, I got caught in conversation with a British businessman that didn't understand 'get lost' in his own language."

"_Boss_?" Ji-hu muttered and Izzie quickly shot him a look.

"Well, no matter. I see you've already met Ji-hu."

"Ji-hu. Ji...you mean...Yun Ji-hu? You're Yun Ji-hu?"

"Were you expecting someone else?" Jun-pyo muttered as the woman stammered.

"No, I just-"

"Jun-pyo! It's starting!" a voice called from inside the box and Jun-pyo rolled his eyes.

"We'll do introductions later. Oh. Thank you," he said as he took the champagne from her hand and returned into the box.

Ji-hu couldn't resist chuckling at the bewildered look on her face, finding his equilibrium in her unbalance. He held open the door of the box and offered her a hint of a smile as the lobby lights dimmed.

"Shall we?"

She looked at him almost blankly for a moment before she finally nodded and proceeded into the box. He followed her, and they took their places in the final two seats at the back of the box. The view was, of course, impeccable, but the position of their seats in the booth was slightly separated from the others, allowing Ji-hu the freedom to lean towards her and whisper: "So that's the idiot boss?"

Despite the low lights he could see another blush was spreading over her cheeks and down her neck. As he followed the path, he took the opportunity to appreciate her appearance. Her light brown waves were loosely pinned so that they were pulled up, but still framed her face, which was expertly decorated with natural-looking makeup. His gaze wandered down and his breath hitched as he examined her gown. Light blue chiffon was gathered like a Grecian tunic in a 'v' from her shoulders, over her breasts to her waist. Though an modesty panel embroidered with silk and crystals covered her chest to her clavicle, ample cleavage was still visible through the sheer fabric, and Ji-hu was well aware of his mouth suddenly becoming dry. He also noted there was a flesh-colored satin slip with a sweetheart neckline under the chiffon to maintain the illusion that the sheer fabric alone was covering her body. The design was immaculate, but the model was what made the garment stunning. Still, Ji-hu managed to force his eyes to the stage, suddenly concerned that the ventilation system was not working properly to adequately cool the packed house.

"I didn't realize he was also your friend," she whispered as the curtain speech began.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I am well aware he is an idiot."

He heard her laugh softly, though he didn't dare try to look at her again.

"Thank you, by the way, for the little gift. I suppose I know now why you have such excellent taste in classical music, Chairman Yun."

He smiled softly as the overture began and the first dancers took their places.

"The music seemed very effective in helping you relax, so I thought it would be a better prescription than a sleep aid or anti-anxiety."

"Indeed. I've been listening to it most of the..." she trailed off as the orchestra swelled and the fairies appeared to offer their gifts to the baby princess. "_God, I love Tchaikovsky_," she breathed and Ji-hu couldn't help but agree.

They sat in silence until the intermission, captivated by the dance and music, though part of Ji-hu's mind also made note of all of Izzie's reactions, particularly as she held her breath through the entire Rose Adagio. When the lights rose in the theatre, she gave a sigh of contentment that made him smile.

"They truly have earned their reputation," he commented and she grinned.

"Indeed. I just wish they were doing Swan Lake. Although, I think I would embarrass myself by sobbing through the final act."

"Hey now, there's no reason for such a beautiful woman to ever shed tears," Woo-bin suddenly interjected, giving Izzie a smile that instantly caused Ji-hu's spine to straighten. The F4's Don Juan held out his hand to Izzie, kissing both the back of her hand and inside of her wrist as he introduced himself. Ji-hu glanced away and noticed Woo-bin's date was tolerantly gazing into the crowd below, ignoring the attention her boyfriend for the evening was paying to another woman.

"So pleased to meet you. Jun-pyo has shared so many stories, I feel as though I already know you well." Izzie's tone caught Ji-hu's attention, and though she smiled pleasantly, her body language made it clear that she was not interested in appearing on Woo-bin's list of conquests. Ji-hu hid a smile behind a cough, but Woo-bin laughed out loud, joined by Yi-jeong.

"Well, she's beautiful _and_ smart. However did you manage to convince her to work for you, Jun-pyo?"

"What convincing? She begged to work for me!" Jun-pyo bragged from his seat in the front of the box, and Jan-di gave him a light smack on his arm as she admonished him.

"No, it's true. Apparently there's not a high demand for polyglot academics with no work experience." She shrugged and watched the men exchange surprised looks before a wicked grin tilted her lips. "Of course, once I became his personal assistant he begged me to never look for another job and to follow him back to Korea."

Woo-bin and Yi-jeong laughed again, but Ji-hu caught a glimpse of something in the look Izzie gave Jun-pyo: a small glimmer of emotion that was very familiar to him.

"And so how do you like Korea so far?" Ga-eul asked.

"I like it very much. It's been very hospitable and...relaxing." She grinned directly at Ji-hu and he stifled a smile.

"Pleased to hear that you are being so well cared for," he responded and felt a small tremble near his heart when her eyes twinkled with mirth at their shared joke.

The rest of the group engaged Izzie in conversation, asking her questions about her travels and how she had learned Korean. Ji-hu half listened, taking in the information to process later. Currently he was more interested in mulling over the way her eyes had softened when she looked at Jun-pyo and the smallest hint of sadness that hid behind her smile. He watched her closely as she talked, noting that she never looked directly at Jan-di, and always had that same touch of dolor whenever she spoke of Jun-pyo. By the time the lights were flashing to urge patrons back to their seats, Ji-hu was confident that Izzie Wagner was in love with Gu Jun-pyo.

Though he watched the second half of the ballet, something about his discovery kept him from immersing himself in the performance. The music seemed slightly muted as his thoughts dwelt on the extent of his friend's relationship with his personal assistant. Did he realize that Izzie had feelings for him? Ji-hu doubted that his friend even had an inkling that the young woman cared for him beyond a mild friendship; the man assumed all women worshipped him, but would never notice the small signs that one close to him had truly fallen for him.

Ji-hu shifted in his seat and cast a look toward Izzie. Her lips were slightly parted as she watched the dancers, her breath rising and falling in time with the music. For some reason, Ji-hu felt irritated that she would have feelings for Jun-pyo. He wondered if his irritation stemmed from a sense of empathy; he was pathetic enough pining for Jan-di while serving as a groomsman in her wedding, they certainly didn't need the wedding planner to be yearning for the groom. He also wondered how wise it was to have Izzie be the person arranging the wedding.

Not that he suspected she would try to sabotage the ceremony. Ji-hu had always been proud of his ability to sense someone's nature and he knew there was nothing about Isadora Wagner that was conniving or treacherous. Still, no person was immune to his or her own feelings, and Ji-hu was confident Izzie would, at some point over the next two months, reach a snapping point. He turned his attention back to the stage, resolved that he would be prepared for when that breakdown occurred. He was, after all, still Jan-di's protector, and he knew she would be hurt if she knew her wedding was causing someone else to suffer.

_I just have to get close enough for her to confide in me. I have to protect Jan-di_, he thought as he once again could focus on the music and the battle that was being depicted on the stage, the nagging feeling fading as he resolved to take the situation in hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Izzie felt Ji-hu's eyes on her, but didn't chance to look at him. She kept her face composed as if she was enraptured in the performance (which, admittedly, was absolutely brilliant) all the while her mind reeled with the information she had learned.

Her benevolent, music-loving doctor had been Yun Ji-hu, chairman of Korea's greatest foundation for the arts, grandson to the late, former president, Yun Seok-young and the other half of Jun-pyo in the F4.

_And also the man in love with Jun-pyo's fiancée_, she thought, twisting her program in her lap as one of the dancers performed a leap that caught her breath.

Despite the way Jun-pyo had brushed off her concern that morning, she still wondered how everyone could acknowledge that Ji-hu was in love with Jan-di and act like it was still perfectly natural for him to be in the wedding. Of course she knew without a doubt that nothing and no one could turn Jan-di's head from Jun-pyo, and a quick coffee with Ga-eul that afternoon had been enough to discover that Jan-di had in fact rejected Ji-hu's proposal years before.

Her heart twisted and she finally snuck a glance toward Ji-hu, who now seemed to be content watching the performance. How anyone could reject such a beautiful face surprised her, but, of course, she had to concede Jun-pyo was just as handsome and so physical appearance couldn't be the only deciding factor. Though Jan-di was sweet, she was also incredibly stubborn and very vocal about her opinions on right and wrong. Izzie chuckled as she thought about one of the arguments between Jan-di and Jun-pyo that she had finally had the opportunity to witness in person. They really were an excellent match. Certainly there was no way the stoic doctor would ever be able to match Jan-di's expressive nature.

Izzie became distracted from her musings as the show drew to a close, her attention swept away as the bright, colorful dancers representing many different fairytales twirled across the stage in a grand finale. When the dancers took their final bows she automatically rose to her feet as she began to applaud, joining the others in shouting 'bravi' and 'encore'.

"Beautiful, wasn't it?" Ji-hu leaned over to speak in her ear so that he could be heard over the crowd. Izzie gave an involuntary shiver that she covered with a nod as his warm voice tickled the skin of her neck.

"Absolutely incredible!" she beamed and was surprised when he responded with a full smile. Izzie felt like all of the air had been stolen from her lungs as his entire face transformed, the stoic beauty replaced by an almost boyish charm that made her knees weak. She felt mesmerized for a moment, until Yi-jeong called for their attention.

"So ladies and gentlemen, the gallery sent over the wines they would like me to sample and select for the exhibit opening. The night is still young, and I would very much appreciate assistance in choosing the right bottles."

"You know I'm in," Woo-bin agreed, exchanging a handshake with Yi-jeong.

"I assume you'd like to keep Ga-eul company as her boyfriend drinks too much?" Jun-pyo asked Jan-di.

"Oh, please, Jan-di! I haven't seen you in so long," Ga-eul added, reaching her hand for her best friend.

"Of course."

"Wonderful! Then Ji-hu? Come on, someone needs to escort beautiful Miss Izzie."

"Oh no, really, I should probably – " Izzie began to refuse, but was interrupted by Jun-pyo.

"You're coming, _Bear_. That's an order."

"There? Can't be insubordinate to your boss! Ji-hu you can't leave her to find her own way." Yi-jeong grinned at his friend and Izzie could clearly see why he was the group's 'Casanova'.

"Perfect. Jan-di and I need to say goodnight to a couple of people and then we will see you there."

"I – " the couple was out of the box before Izzie could object, with Yi-jeong, Woo-bin and their dates right on their heels. Suddenly, Izzie and Ji-hu were left alone, and she had the uncomfortable suspicion that was the full intention of the group.

"You really don't have to escort me. I am fine taking a taxi."

"There's no sense in riding separately to the same destination. Unfortunately, we will have to wait for a car. I rode my motorcycle, and I doubt you would feel very comfortable riding on the back in your gown."

"Really? I would love to! I miss my bike. Jun-pyo thought it would be best if I wasn't driving around Seoul right away." Though at the time Izzie had fought the decision, now that she was in the city she realized the wisdom of Jun-pyo's judgment.

"Well, if you're sure – "

"Oh I'm sure," she interrupted with a grin. She could already imagine the wind whipping at her skin and the hum of the machine. She started toward the door when Ji-hu stepped in her way.

"Miss Wagner," he said formally as he held out his arm for her to take. Her heart skipped slightly and she felt the sudden urge to blush as she took his arm and let him lead her from the box and into the milling crowds outside. As expected, when people saw them they immediately cleared a path, exchanging whispers and gasps as they watched the famous member of the F4 pass. Izzie was gripped by the sudden whimsical image of a snowflake falling through the night sky as Ji-hu, dressed entirely in pristine white, guided her through the sea of black tuxedos until they reached the coat check. He retrieved his helmet and gloves (white, naturally) while she waited for her satin trench.

Once their personal effect had been delivered, Izzie followed Ji-hu out of the building and to a specially designated spot where his bike was waiting.

"You're positive you don't want to take a car?" he asked as he retrieved a second helmet from the bike.

"A little case of helmet hair is not going to ruin my night," she responded with a grin, taking the helmet and carefully sliding it on her head, relieved that she had requested a simple up-do from her stylist that afternoon. She buckled the strap under her chin before gathering up her skirts and taking her place behind him on the bike.

"Now don't you dare go slow just because I'm on here," she shouted to him as she pressed herself to his back and wrapped her arms around his middle. She felt him chuckle as he revved the engine and took off into traffic.

Izzie sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head on Ji-hu's back as she enjoyed the ride. While she had never ridden as someone else's passenger, Izzie found that the experience was almost as exhilarating as driving. Her mind instantly cleared as she focused on the cold wind cutting through her jacket, chilling her to the point she felt that the wind was going straight through her body. She hugged Ji-hu a little tighter and sighed with joy as she leaned into each turn and felt her stomach dip as they crested hills. He seemed well acquainted with little-used roads, as they managed to maintain speed and barely encountered any other vehicles as they raced through the city. Too soon, however, the bike began to slow and finally stopped in front of a large building, emanating bright light.

Izzie reluctantly let her arms fall and dismounted from the bike, shaking out the skirt of her dress before unbuckling and removing her helmet. She shook out her hair, feeling some bobbie pins loosen and fall as she did, but she was too delighted to care. She handed the helmet back to Ji-hu, who was watching her with a curious expression.

"What? What's wrong?" she asked, touching her hair to check if it was flying in embarrassing directions. He shook his head and almost smiled.

"You should tell Jun-pyo you need your bike. It relaxed you faster than the music."

"Oh, that's a toss up, actually. You didn't play any of the violin pieces yesterday. I don't think I've ever found something more cathartic than that third sonata on the playlist."

"You really liked it?"

"It was like he was completely baring his soul! So much vulnerability, and pain, but then the final movement was just...uplifting. I didn't recognize the style of the composer, though, and it's been driving me crazy."

"It's an original composition by the artist."

"Oh, really?" She flinched as headlights suddenly illuminated them and they shifted onto the path leading to the studio as Jun-pyo and Jan-di pulled into the driveway.

"Hey, Ji-hu! What are you thinking taking _Bear_ on that death machine of yours?" Jun-pyo asked as soon as he exited his sport's car, crossing to open the door for Jan-di.

"Ji-hu-ssi is insisting I get another motorcycle so he has someone to ride with, _boss_."

"Absolutely no way."

"Jun-pyo!" Jan-di admonished.

"If you want to ride a death machine you can ride with Ji-hu. At least he can sew you back together when you lose a limb," Jun-pyo grumbled as he put his arm around Jan-di's shoulder and led the way into the house. Ji-hu shot Izzie a curious look and she rolled her eyes.

"JP was doing some research and he accidentally did an image search for 'motorcycle accidents'. He's been horrified by them ever since," Izzie explained as she followed on the heels of her curly-haired superior.

"I understand," Ji-hu said as they walked into the studio.

Immediately, they were greeted by the other half of the F4, who already had a large assortment of wine glasses poured and waiting on the table. Before Izzie could find a place for her jacket she felt it slip from her arms as a glass of red wine was pressed to her hand by Woo-bin.

"You remind me of a _pinot noir_," he said, lifting his own glass of red and swirling the liquid under his nose.

"How so?" she asked then gasped as he suddenly stepped behind her and breathed into her ear.

"Heady perfume, tantalizing sweetness and a voluptuousness that makes your blood run warm. I believe they've captured you perfectly." Izzie took a sip of the wine to compose herself before a devilish smile spread on her face.

She turned slightly to Woo-bin, looking up at him through her lashes. "You know, Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon calls _pinot_ 'sex in a glass'."

"Mm, does she?" His hand settled on her waist and she leaned just a touch closer.

"Indeed. So drink up, because it's the only satisfaction you're going to get." She stepped away from him, walking to the wall of lighted cubbies, each containing a different piece of pottery. She glanced back over her shoulder and Woo-bin lifted his glass to her, laughing merrily at her rejection. She returned her attention to the pottery, well aware that she was looking at works of world-renowned master potter Yi-jeong. She spent time studying each piece, searching for the details that made them special, but she found that she simply couldn't spot what made them superior to any other vase or bowl.

"So what do you think?" She turned and found the potter smiling at her, and her stomach dropped slightly.

"About the wine or the work?"  
"The wine. I know these pieces are boring. It's why I sit them here, so I can stare at them while I work and push myself to be better."

Izzie barely stopped herself from sighing with relief, instead matching his sweet smile.

"Well, the wine, I think, is outstanding. I would definitely recommend this _pinot_. It's complex, without being pretentious."

"You have excellent taste," he complemented and for some reason it felt to Izzie like the highest praise he offered. "It's a good thing she's the one planning your wedding," he turned and called to the group before turning back to her and speaking more conspiratorially. "Jan-di's taste is so simple, and Jun-pyo isn't satisfied unless there are actual fireworks."

"Hey! Fireworks are cool!" Jun-pyo defended, causing the group to laugh.

"Yi-jeong is right. Thank you so much, Izzie-ssi for working so hard to plan our wedding. I hope the work is not too difficult for you." Jan-di bowed her head and Izzie inwardly flinched, but covered with a smile.

"It's my honor to make the most special and beautiful day for both of you. I will work hard to make sure everything is perfect." She bowed her head to the couple, swallowing hard and blinking back the stab of pain she felt as she maintained her false smile. She was thankful that someone else immediately picked up the conversation and she was excused to drain her glass and reach for another, darker red wine. She was pleased to find it was a cabernet sauvignon and she closed her eyes to savor the dry, full-bodied wine. Stepping quietly away from the group she began to wander the studio, the feeling of peace she had achieved on the short motorcycle ride now gone.

"_Penny for your thoughts_?" She jumped at the sound of a soft voice, and immediately Ji-hu set his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's all right. I was just trying to give this _cabernet_ my full attention. Have you tried it?" For a moment she thought he was going to call her out on her clearly contrived excuse, but he instead tilted his own glass slightly.

"I favor white."

Izzie snorted, then immediately slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to laugh, it's just...well, _of course_ you prefer white." She felt like an idiot, and mentally kicked herself for babbling until he gave another full smile.

"You're right...my preferences are rather obvious. I am a creature of habit."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing. It means you're dependable, constant. Your group needs someone who's serious and steadfast to keep you all grounded."

"You've surmised this in one evening?" He looked dubious, and Izzie wondered if she had offended him.

"Well, I may have only been introduced this evening, but Jun-pyo has been filling my head with F4 stories for four years now."

"And after all these stories, what is your conclusion?"

The wine was startling to tingle in her blood and Izzie answered his question without her typical reserve.

"Well, as I said, you are the most solid and consistent member of the group. You embraced that quality of your nature a little too much, though, and strove to become marble, cold and impenetrable. I think you've realized, though, that you've kept your passion and feelings locked away too tightly and now you're starting to chip away at your façade and shape it into something that's both sturdy and...forgiving."

"That's what you think, based on Jun-pyo's stories?"

"Mmhm. You are very difficult to read, but I don't believe you're as inscrutable as the other guys think. I'll bet, with a little time, I will see right through your poker face and know exactly what you're thinking." She softly poked his chest, just above his heart, letting her finger rest on his jacket for just a moment before she realized what she was doing. She blushed and chuckled weakly, pulling her hand away and securing it on her wine glass.

"Well, then. That's me. What do you think of rest of the F4. Tell me your estimation of Yi-jeong and Woo-bin."

"Ah, _Casanova_ and _Don Juan_. Obviously those two make a pair the same way you and Jun-pyo do. Yi-jeong is a true artist. He's smooth and charming always, and when he's at his best he's sweet and doting. At his worst, however, he's temperamental, moody and even a trifle cruel. He may not be as tempestuous as Jun-pyo, but I would wager that he is the most prone to recklessness and needs to be watched the closest when he's in a foul mood. I pity his former lovers, as I'm sure he was sincere when he promised them the world, but just as sincere when he told them they were unworthy of it. It's wonderful that he's found Ga-eul. She and Jan-di both, I think have had a profound effect on him and I believe over time that impact will become increasingly obvious."

She looked for any clue that he had an opinion about what she said, but he merely inclined his head, inviting her to continue.

"Woo-bin, I'll admit, makes me a little sad. He seems like a lost little boy, that is trying to avoid the path that he knows is in front of him instead of changing that path. He, more than any of you, rely on the F4 as his family, and I would bet he is the most protective of each of you individually and collectively. I think the three of you become blinded by his jokes and easy-going nature and miss the times he's just shielding you from his hurt and fear. If you three would work together and support him, I think he would have the confidence he needed to walk away from his father's choices and find a path that he wouldn't be ashamed to follow."

Izzie felt like her heart would pound out her chest as she finished talking, and she took a large drink of wine to drown her self-censure while Ji-hu looked toward Woo-bin, who was spinning around both Ga-eul and Jan-di. Jun-pyo grabbed for Jan-di's arm and pulled her to him, both laughing as she clung to him for support.

"So then. What of Jun-pyo?" Izzie looked back to Ji-hu, whose gaze, now refocused on her, seemed unsettlingly intense.

"Well, now, he doesn't count. I've known him for years. Of course I know him."

"All of his faults."

"The very long list, yes."

"And all of his strengths."

"He does have several of those, unfortunately."

"So, then, how long before you fell in love with him?"  
"Not lon-what? I...I don't..." Izzie felt her cheeks grow hot and her throat constrict as her mouth became dry. Finally, she met his knowing eyes and let her guard fall.

"I think I fell for him the first day I knew him. I told him he was full of shit about something he was bragging about and he was so affronted that I would dare question him publically. We got in this huge argument in the middle of the line for the salad bar at the school's dining hall, and by the time we were at the check out we were laughing so hard I couldn't see to swipe my card. After that he plagued me constantly, always wanting my opinion or wanting to brainstorm. Looking back now, I think he just missed having someone to fight with and call him out when he was wrong, but at the time I thought it was because he liked me too."

"Then you found out about Jan-di."

"Yes. But by then it was too late. I had already dumped my boyfriend and committed myself to being by Jun-pyo's side, no matter what."

She took a long drink from her glass, watching the couple talking across the room, laughing and clearly teasing one another.

"And that pledge includes moving to Korea and planning his wedding," he said it more as a statement then a question, but Izzie answered anyway.

"Apparently so. But, since I do organize his entire professional life, and most of his private life as well, it only makes sense I would plan the wedding. I'm the best person for the job."

"Do you really believe that?" The look he gave her brought unexpected tears to her eyes; though his face remained almost completely still, behind the skepticism there was also sympathy. She blinked away the moisture and raised her chin.

"Of course I do. I can separate my emotions from my work. I will work harder than anyone to make sure they have perfect wedding."

"Hm," was all he said as he wandered toward a glass wall, staring out at the patio and, beyond, an empty field.

"Look, I have never said anything to Jun-pyo and never intend to. I know he is head-over-heels for Jan-di and I would never, ever do anything to get in the way of their happily ever after." She set her now empty wine glass on a nearby worktable and crossed to him, grabbing his arm and turning him to face her. His eyes widened slightly and his lips parted as she stood toe to toe with him, her heels allowing her to only tilt her head up slightly to look him squarely in the eye.

"You of all people should understand wanting someone else's happiness so badly you are content to sacrifice your own. But I would rather not have anyone else ever learn about my little...situation, so please, can you forget we ever had this conversation?"

She held her breath as she waited for his response, silently pleading for him to agree.

"No, I can't."

"Please, Ji – "

"I cannot simply pretend I don't know what your feelings are. I will promise, however, that I will not say anything to anyone. I will carry your secret."

She sighed in relief, pressing her hands on his lapels as she bowed her head. "Thank you, Ji-hu-ssi. I –"

"So this is where the kids have gotten to."

Izzie's eyes went wide as she realized Yi-jeong and Ga-eul were grinning at them, the rest of the group approaching as well. Izzie and Ji-hu immediately stepped apart and Izzie was somewhat relieved when Ji-hu looked just as nervous as she felt.

"So, Ji-hu, what is Izzie-ssi thanking you for, hm?"

"Oh, Ji-hu-ssi was kind enough to agree to help me with some of the wedding details."

Everyone looked at her with a mix of dubious suspicion and curiosity, and Izzie knew she needed to sell the lie.

"Really, I needed someone who knew Jan-di well that could help me with some of the plans and Ga-eul with your class trip, I just didn't want to trouble you. Ji-hu was kind enough to offer his assistance."

"This way Jan-di can focus on her studies," Ji-hu added, his voice as serious and unfathomable as usual. This seemed to be enough to convince the group and they shrugged or muttered their disappointment that the two of them hadn't been engaging in a more interesting activity.

"You're so busy seonbae...are you sure you have the time?" Jan-di asked as the other friends returned to the bar to retrieve new glasses.

"Oh, it shouldn't take very much time at all. There are only a few small things I need his help on, like, finding more bridesmaids!" The idea suddenly struck Izzie and she turned to Ji-hu with a smile. "Ji-hu is going to help me get the right women to stand with Jan-di, right?"

"Ji-hu...you weren't suggesting Seo-hyun-eonnie, were you?" Jun-pyo asked, his smile slightly crooked. Jan-di immediately shook her head.

"Of course not. Besides, she will never come back to Korea."

"She will for Jan-di's wedding. She will if I ask." Ji-hu's voice was colder than Izzie had previously heard, and when she looked between the three, feeling very much like she was missing something very important happening.

_Seo-hyun...why is that name so familiar?_

"Seonbae – "

"Would you like her to be in the wedding?"

Jan-di looked near tears, but she gave the slightest of nods and Izzie felt more than heard Ji-hu sigh.

"Very well. Izzie and I will convince Seo-hyun-eonnie to come back to Korea for the wedding. Now, if Izzie is ready to go we will take our leave. There is a lot of planning to be done."

"Um, of course. Have a good evening everyone. Thank you, good night!" Izzie quickly trotted behind Ji-hu, smiling and waving at everyone as she grabbed her trench and struggled to keep up with Ji-hu's long strides. He was out the door before she finished buttoning her jacket, and she tied the belt as she bolted outside, looking around for him as she hurried to where he had parked his motorcycle. She stopped and back-tracked, however, when she saw the bike stood alone, and a long white figure stood leaning in one of the brick alcoves that formed the wall of the studio. His eyes were closed and his head was tilted back to lean against the hard surface. Izzie hesitated then stepped toward him, leaning her back against the wall next to him.

"Do you want to tell me what can of worms I inadvertently opened in there?" she asked after a moment.

"Min Seo-hyun is the woman I loved for the first 15 years of life I can remember."

"Oh." Izzie cringed, but it was the only thing she could think to say. After another moment Ji-hu lowered his head, staring blankly in front of him.

"She was big sister for all of the F4, but for me, she was much more. I'm sure Jun-pyo told you about my parents' car accident; Seo-hyun was the only person that made me feel like I shouldn't have died with them. It took me 15 years and a big push from Jan-di for me to admit my feelings for her. But that was only after she announced she was leaving Korea and her modeling career to make a life for herself as a lawyer in Paris."

"So, you were too late?" she asked and he gave a mirthless laugh.

"I don't think there would have been a right time. I loved her too long as an idol – I've realized that's not the same as loving someone as a woman. I followed her to Paris, and after a while I came to realize that her caring for me was a burden. So I left."

"And you...haven't spoken since?"

"Barely. She called me 15 times the day I left. Appropriate, I thought. I didn't answer, though, and since we've only exchanged a few messages. I haven't spoken to her since the day I left."

"Well, if that's the case, why would you even offer to ask her to be in the wedding? Surely you can think of someone else?"

"She's the first person to show Jan-di the kindness she deserved. And she's special to Jun-pyo as well."

Izzie was suddenly seething. She couldn't shake the suspicion that Jun-pyo had brought up the name intentionally, though she had no inkling as to why he would want to torture his friend. She vowed, however, to get to the bottom of his game first thing in the morning. In the meantime, however, she was going to do as much damage control as possible.

"I don't care if that woman has cured cancer – I don't think she's appropriate for the wedding. And you said she was a model? I won't stand for a bridesmaid that's prettier than the bride. It's just inappropriate. Oh! How about Gu Jun-hee! She took Jan-di under her wing too, right? Why don't we ask her?"  
"Jun-hee-eonnie is already married." Ji-hu finally looked at her, but at this point she was pacing between the two windows that flanked their section of wall, her mind whirling.

"So she's a _bridesmatron_. We do that all the time in the US."

"Yes, but she's not currently in a state that would allow her to feel comfortable as a bridesmaid."

"Just because she's married? That's ridicu – what?" Ji-hu was giving her a strange look, shaking his head.

"She's pregnant."

"Oh."

"Right."

"I see. So if a married bridesmaid is non-traditional..."

"A pregnant bridesmaid would be scandalous."

"Damn," she cursed, scuffing her heel against the wood walkway. "Doesn't Jan-di have any female friends?"

"There was an exchange student who was her friend when she first entered Shinhwa Academy."

"Great! Where is she now?"

"After giving Jan-di a drug to make her pass out she posted pictures all over the internet to make it seem that Jan-di had been unfaithful to Jun-pyo and slept with another man."

"_Seriously_?"

"Apparently she had been in love with Jun-pyo when they were children. He had called her fat and ugly so she fled the country, had countless surgeries and came back with the hope that now Jun-pyo would love her. It was...not pretty."

"Okay, well crazy back-stabbing _BFF_ is out. Anyone else?"

"Jun-pyo's former fiancée, Ha Jae-kyung."

"Really? Does anyone not fall in love with Jun-pyo?"

"Apparently not," he said and for the first time Izzie saw a hint of his humor returning.

"_Touché_." She shivered and Ji-hu straightened, stepping towards her and brushing her arm.

"This is not a problem you can solve tonight. Let me take you home. The dilemma will not have changed tomorrow."

"I'm not giving up, _Doc_. I'm going to figure this out."

"I believe in you."

Izzie stilled. She looked up and her breath caught at the sincerity in his eyes. For a moment, she could see past the hard exterior and into the heart of the man that had been hurt again and again, since he was just a tiny child. Her heart ached for that man that locked himself away so tightly, thinking it would make him impervious to more pain. For some reason, that hurt, damaged man putting his faith in her felt like the most precious gift she had ever received, and she was humbled by the fragility of it.

"I won't let you down," she promised and he rewarded her with a ghost of a smile.

"Come on. It's late." He turned and started walking to the motorcycle, his hands buried in his pockets. They put on their helmets and mounted the bike in silence and when they took off Izzie was too lost in thought to experience the same thrill she had earlier in the evening. It had been only 48 hours since she had met Ji-hu, but she felt pulled to do something to find some happiness for him.

_Please, he doesn't deserve any more disappointments. Let me find a way to help him. Let me bring him the happiness he deserves_, she prayed as he sped through the sleeping city.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next morning Izzie dressed quickly, managed to cobble together a breakfast sandwich from her room service and picked up two coffees just in time to beat Jun-pyo to his office. He walked in just as she set his coffee on his desk and jumped when he saw her standing by his chair.

"Aish, _Izzie-Bear_, you scared me!"

"Did I? Good. Then you're probably too high-strung for coffee, so I'll just drink yours too."

"Hey!" he cried as he closed the distance between them and snatched his coffee from her hand. He drank it defiantly as he set down his briefcase and took his seat. Izzie crossed her arms, pinning him with the look she reserved for when he had truly ruffled her feathers.

"What could I have possibly done in the last 6 hours to earn that glare?" he asked as he continued to sip his coffee.

"_You know damn well what you've done_."

"And now you're cursing me in English," he muttered.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out the story of Min Seo-hyun?"

"Ah. That."

"Yes, that! How could you be so cold to your best friend! And your fiancée for that matter. Putting her in that position like you did. You should be ashamed!"

"Hey! I was only –"

"Oh you were only what? Please, at least do me the courtesy of spending some time to think of a decent excuse for your actions, when, clearly, you are just trying to put Ji-hu in an uncomfortable position. Which is pretty low considering how, just yesterday morning, you told me Ji-hu was in love with Jan-di as if it was as serious as a bee sting!" She slammed her coffee on his desk for emphasis, too exasperated to stand still any longer. Jun-pyo eyed her warily for a moment as she paced, as if waiting for the next explosion.

"It's all right. I'm done now. Feel free to provide me with you pathetic excuse for why you are a terrible friend." She stopped pacing and crossed her arms over her chest again, practically tapping her foot in impatience for whatever he was going to say.

"I am not a terrible friend. I am trying to be a good friend and arrange for Ji-hu to be happy."

It was not the response Izzie had been expecting. Jun-pyo must have sensed her bewilderment as he took the opportunity to continue.

"I am not concerned that Ji-hu is in love with Jan-di. She has refused him and he has accepted that. I am concerned for Ji-hu that he has resigned himself to forever loving a woman that will not reciprocate his love the way he wishes. She may work by his side until the day he dies, but Jan-di will never help Ji-hu find the happiness he deserves."

"And so what? Your big plan is to bring back his first love and hope that his feelings will be rekindled?"

"Yes."

Izzie collapsed in a chair by his mantle and Jun-pyo swiveled his seat back and forth, waiting for her to respond. Her mind, meanwhile, was scrambling to process her boss' shortsighted plan. Finally, she leaned forward in her seat, a habitual posture she took when she was about to delve into a subject.

"Are you confident Ji-hu still has feelings for Seo-hyun? Because that is not the impression I got last night."

"No one can truly move on from their first love. There is too much history between them."

"Hm, that's some great wisdom, coming from a man who is marrying the only girl he's ever loved."

"Hey! That's how I know, right? There is too much between Jan-di and me to ever forget."

"Yes, but wasn't her first love Ji-hu?" Izzie waited for her point to land and when it did she was rewarded to a sulky glare. "Look, JP I know you want Ji-hu to be happy. And I know Jan-di would be happier if he was happy too. But I don't think this Seo-hyun is the answer. I think Ji-hu's happiness is out there, he just hasn't realized it yet."

"Hm. Maybe."

"Trust me, okay? Have I ever lead you wrong?"

"There was that time in – "

"Okay, we don't talk about the time in Brooklyn remember? It was an honest mistake!" She rose from her chair and grabbed her coffee from his desk, satisfied that she had made her point. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a wedding to plan and bridesmaids to hunt down."

"Hey, _Izzie-Bear_...you be a bridesmaid."

"Ex-excuse me?" She almost dropped her coffee as she gathered her purse from the floor, straightening instantly at his words.

"Yeah. Why didn't I think of it sooner? Jan-di likes you, you'll make sure everything runs smoothly – "

"I'm going to make sure it runs smoothly because I will be coordinating everything from the outside."

"A leader is better on the inside. Basic business. You and Seo-hyun will be the final bridesmaids."

Before Izzie could object his intercom buzzed and the receptionist announced his morning appointment had arrived.

"Why are you standing there? Go. Work hard." He dismissed her and Izzie bit her tongue, managing to only roll her eyes.

"I'll leave first," she growled as she turned on her heel and marched out of the office. She stepped into the waiting car as she pulled out her phone and typed in a quick search. She gave the driver the address and settled into her seat, stewing over what Jun-pyo had proclaimed.

_Why do I always feel like you're up to something_, she thought as the driver shifted through traffic. She took the time to review the photography portfolios she had been provided and narrow down the choices to two. Her frustration with her boss subsided as she was delivered to her destination. She got out of the car and happily dismissed the driver as she walked into the Kawasaki store.

~o~

Ji-hu was lost in his thoughts when he heard someone shout his name. He looked around the hospital entrance, scanning the nurses to see if any of them would have stopped him. He smiled when he finally saw a woman waving at him, leaning against a sport bike that was parked by his own.

"Did Jun-pyo make you angry?" he asked once he had crossed to her, burying his hands in his pocket as she nodded happily. He surveyed her and her purchase. She was dressed casually, with tight maroon jeans and black leather boots that ended just below her knee. The hem of a black and white striped shirt peeked out beneath a black leather jacket that Ji-hu suspected had been custom made to fit her so precisely. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he was pleased to see her glasses had returned. Her eyes had been a bit too interesting without the shield of her eyewear.

Ji-hu quickly rerouted from that train of thought and extended his inspection to the bike. An icy blue Ninja would not have been his initial thought for her type of bike, but now that he saw it he realized it suited her perfectly. Light and quick, he suspected she would take advantage of the bike's full potential.

"I assume you want to go for a ride?" he asked, unable to stop smiling as she practically bubbled with excitement.

"Well, yes, but I was hoping you could help me with some wedding business as well. Are you free?"

Ji-hu considered her question. He had just completed his first kidney transplant, and there had been some complications from a nicked blood vessel (the error had been made by the lead surgeon, though Ji-hu had been the one to sew it up) and he was exhausted. Still, he felt that restlessness stir in him again and he offered her another smile.

"Where are we going?"

She almost bounced as she pulled her helmet off her handlebars. "Up to Goyang. Their annual flower show is happening and I thought it would be the best place to find a florist."

Ji-hu almost regretted agreeing to go. Though he enjoyed horticulture to a certain degree, the International Horticulture exhibition was more than he was willing to endure. Still, it was his own mistake for agreeing to go along without asking the destination first, so he put on his own helmet and zipped his jacket.

"I'll lead the way. Don't get lost," he called to her before he pulled out of the parking lot. She quickly moved into position beside him and Ji-hu understood her hint that she wanted to go faster. Ignoring the expressway, he chose roads he knew would be mostly deserted during the afternoon so that they could ride freely. They managed to remain side by side, and Ji-hu was impressed at her skill. She clearly loved speed, but she wasn't reckless or irresponsible. Though the winding path they were on should have taken twice as long, they arrived in Goyang in nearly the same amount of time as they would have had they taken a more conventional route.

They found their way through the cultural park and into the parking area for the exhibition. Mercifully, the place did not appear crowded and Ji-hu felt some relief as he realized that they would likely have much of the exhibition to themselves as it was the middle of the day on a workday.

"_Oh God, that felt amazing_! There are few things in this world more exhilarating than a good ride, right?" she asked as she pulled off her helmet. Ji-hu's breath caught as he watched her; her face was flushed, and some loose strands of hair had fallen around her face, making her look slightly disheveled. She half unzipped her jacket as she leaned her head back, closed her eyes and sighed. Ji-hu swallowed hard as she stretched, the lines of her body causing images to flash in his mind of some if his more intimate moments living in Paris with Seo-hyun, though the images started to shift as the imagined skin became paler and the half-lidded eyes that had looked at him with want were ringed with blue and flecked with gold.

Ji-hu turned his attention to securing his bike and the buried his hands in his pockets as he turned back to her, his mask of detachment firmly secured. "Ready to go?"

"One sec!" she called as she pulled a pack of pills and a bottle of water from her bag.

"What's wrong?" he asked, instantly slipping into his 'doctor mode' as Jan-di called it.

"Hm? Oh, nothing! It's just an antihistamine."

"An anti...are you allergic to flowers?"

She cringed and then shrugged. "Not all of them. Just some. Like lilies. Or roses. Or lilacs, or freesia, or...okay, so I'm allergic to most flowers." She started off toward the ticket booth and Ji-hu followed on her heels.

"So, you're allergic to flowers, but you wanted to come to an event with millions of them, just to find the right florist for Jun-pyo and Jan-di's wedding?"  
"Mm, pretty much. Plus I wanted to get some inspiration on how we'll decorate for the ceremony. I want something magical, that won't make Jan-di feel uncomfortable or Jun-pyo feel embarrassed."

"Hm, I see." Ji-hu wondered how she could possibly achieve what she was attempting, but kept his thoughts to himself.

Despite his objection, she paid for the entrance to the exhibition, then immediately retrieved a pen and small hardcover notebook from her bag, scribbling notes as soon as they began to walk around the grounds. Though he initially just walked along with her, silently nodding or occasionally providing monosyllabic responses to her questions, he eventually found himself getting caught up in the plans she was making. Soon they were sitting on a bench, both hovering over the notebook and tweaking the designs she had roughly sketched, while sipping iced coffees they had found at one of the food stands.

"I don't know. Something just seems like it's missing, you know? It just seems so ordinary," she finally remarked with a sigh.

"Ordinary? You consider almost a quarter of a million dollars worth of flowers 'ordinary'?"

"No, that's not what I mean," she sighed again as she rubbed the back of her neck, pinching the trapezious muscle at the top of her shoulder. "Just look at this. It's beautiful, but is it any different that any other wedding where money is not an issue?"

Ji-hu took the notebook from her lap and began studying the plans they had written up. Tasteful, elegant, there was nothing out of place with their sketches. He could picture the understated opulence and knew it would be a beautiful composition when it was realized, but he frowned slightly as he began to understand her point. There was nothing special about the wedding. Stunning as it was, there was nothing that differentiated it from any other wedding, nothing that connected it to Jan-di and Jun-pyo.

"You're right. It should be more personal."

"The first kiss, the first date, the proposal – it should all be part of it." She nibbled her thumbnail, staring at the notebook and tapping the pen on her thigh as her foot bounced. Ji-hu began to wonder if she should have perhaps avoided the caffeine when she suddenly sighed in exasperation and looked to him.

"What would your wedding look like?"

"What – my what?"

"Your wedding. If you were marrying Jan-di, what would your wedding be like? How would you design it?"

Ji-hu's stomach dropped and he looked away from her, staring blankly at the topiary that had been shaped into characters from a children's cartoon. He had imagined over and over what it would be like to marry Jan-di. Every night he looked at the pictures that had been taken of them for that silly contest, where he had stood as the artificial groom to Jan-di so she could win a tray of fine meat cuts to send to her family. From those pictures his imagination had filled in every detail of their fantasy wedding, but actually saying them out loud made him feel like he was acknowledging that they were just pathetic dreams.

"It would be in the summer, on a warm, sunny day. It would be small, just her family and our friends, and I wouldn't worry about groomsmen or bridesmaids. It would just be us."

"That's it!" She bounced up from the bench and began pacing, jarring Ji-hu from his musings.

"What is?"

"You! You're the other side of the coin: Jun-pyo's exact opposite. You're the sunshine to his nighttime. Of course! It's perfect!" She snatched the notebook from him, flipping to a blank page and began furiously sketching. Ji-hu sat watching her, his brows slightly knitted as he tried to follow her muttering. Finally she flipped the notebook, revealing a sketch of a star, with a moon contained in its center. It was the design of the necklace Jun-pyo had created for Jan-di, showing his possession of her heart, and had been an important symbol each time their relationship had been torn apart and mended.

"Jun-pyo's star."

"Think about it: all those events I mentioned? Their first date, first kiss, the first time he told her he loved her – what do they have in common?"

_They took her one step further away from me?_

"They were all at night," he said quietly, his heart sinking despite the bright smile Izzie gave him.

"Exactly! Every major moment has been at night! That's why a daytime wedding feels so wrong! We need to plan an evening wedding!"

"Of course."

She started jotting down notes once again, listing aloud the twinkle lights, night blooming flowers and other details they would need while Ji-hu sank into his own feelings. He didn't understand why, when he accepted that Jan-di was marrying Jun-pyo, he still felt grief when he thought of how he was losing his soulmate. The woman he had grown to love, who had nestled so deeply in his heart that he felt her with every beat of his pulse. However, he also recalled the number of times Jun-pyo had laid him flat when he got a little too close to making her his own, and knew his best friend also lived for Jan-di. He felt a hand on his arm and looked up to find Izzie smiling at him sympathetically.

"I think that's enough wedding planning for today. Why don't we head out of here and get some dinner. My treat."

"I won't accept that. I will pay for dinner." He rose, stretching and searching for a trashcan to dispose of their empty drink cups. He tossed the cups in the nearest receptacle and slid his hands into his pockets. "Shall we go?" he asked, walking toward the entrance before she could respond.

"Thank you, for helping me, Ji-hu. I know this is that last thing you probably want to be doing, but...last night? You were right. Planning this wedding hasn't really been good for me." She mirrored his pose, slipping her hands in her pockets and looking forward with a mostly blank expression. He could see, however, the difficulty she was having making that confession to him. He stopped, and after a moment she paused, turning back and looking at his with her head cocked to the side slightly.

"Perhaps it is best we work together to plan the wedding – as a way to let go of our feelings."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "I don't think, at this point, I am ever going to stop having feelings for Jun-pyo."

"Of course not. However, this will be a swan song to that love. After this, we can put away our hope and dreams for good."

"I'm not sure I can do that," she said, biting her lips as tears appeared in her eyes. He took two steps and stood toe to toe with her, forcing her to bring her shining eyes up to his.

"You can. You accomplish anything you set your mind to."

"How can you be sure of that? You don't really know me, _Doc_."

He scoffed, a small smile forming on his lips as he stooped down to look her directly in the eye. "You claimed to know my friends and me just hours after meeting us. Your estimation of me was so thorough, but did you not realize that I, too, see right through people? Someday, Izzie, I will learn to read your thoughts too."

He straightened and walked away before she could respond. After a few paces he felt her fall into step beside him, but she didn't say anything as they walked out of the park and navigated through the people now pouring into the exhibition. They prepared their bikes in a silence that was the result of them both being lost in their own thoughts, and they soon were zipping out of the parking lot and onto the open road.

Once again, the ride seemed to bring Izzie back from her reverie and she was even more ambitious on their ride back, occasionally performing tricks as she pulled ahead of him slightly. Ji-hu laughed inside his helmet, charmed by her daredevil side that seemed so at odds with the professional demeanor she had when she was haggling with florists about their prices and negotiating fees for delivery and pick up. He watched her face grow cold and her lips purse when she sensed someone was trying to take advantage of her, but she would then turn around and deliver a sarcastic remark that would have him laughing. She was far too smart to love Jun-pyo, and Ji-hu was determined to help her realize that she didn't need to devote herself to a man that wouldn't love her in return.

_You don't have to be like me, Izzie. He's not your soulmate. _

An hour later they had returned to the city, and Ji-hu took the lead to guide them to one of his favorite restaurants. They parked their bikes and Izzie looked at him curiously when they stood in front of the family-run noodle shop.

"You eat here?" she asked as he fixed his helmet to his bike.

"Reserve your thoughts until you taste their noodles. This business has existed for over sixty years."

"Wow, seriously?"

"Yes." He led the way into the restaurant, which was packed. Immediately upon entering the diners hushed, all eyes following him as he walked to the back of the restaurant, claiming a booth that was set apart from the others. Instantly a middle-aged gentleman with a large smile appeared at their table, bowing to them.

"Good evening, Doctor."  
"Good evening, Chef Oh. How's your health?"

"Oh, me, I'm as healthy as someone can be! Without his health a man is nothing. Would you like your usual?"

"Please."

"Okay, and what about your companion? _Hello! How are you_?" He waved at Izzie and Ji-hu bit back a smile.

"I'm very well, thank you for asking. Since I've never eaten here, why don't you bring the dish the kitchen is most proud of?"

The older man's eyes went wide as she spoke, and Ji-hu could no longer stifle his grin. Chef Oh looked to Ji-hu, then back to Izzie with a quick smile.

"Yes, of course. I'll be out shortly with your drinks." He bowed and took off to the kitchen, muttering about all the Americans speaking English.

"It never ceases to amaze me how surprised natives are when you can converse in their language. Not that I can blame them for being surprised an American doesn't only speak English."

"How many languages do you speak?"

"Four fluently. English, French, Korean and Japanese. I can get by in Italian, and know some very basic German."

"What made you decide to study languages?"

"I didn't, really. In college I studied Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs and Communications. Learning languages was just something that happened naturally. I studied French in high school and my freshman year of college my roommate was Korean. I became fascinated with her stories, so when I got into my D.F.A. program I decided to focus on East Asia."

"So you learned Korean and Japanese...why not Cantonese or Mandarin?" He nodded his thanks when a server dropped off bottles of water for them.

"Ugh, I can't do Chinese. I don't know if it's because it's tonal, or if it has to do with the fact that I can't stand the sound of either language, but I just cannot get my mouth to speak Chinese. My accent is so bad the professor at school just patted me on the shoulder and let me drop the class."

They sipped their waters as the older man brought over two trays of food, beaming nervously. They thanked them for the food and Chef Oh hovered while they tasted their meals. Ji-hu watched the surprised smile appear on Izzie's face and she immediately began showering the man with complements. Chef Oh looked ready to burst with pride and Ji-hu couldn't help but admire the girl sitting across from him. Her Korean was amazing, and on the rare occasions her accent slipped he found it rather charming. She sampled everything in front of her, asking the restraunteur to identify any foods she didn't recognize, even questioning where the recipes came from and his family history with the restaurant. When the owner had to leave them for other customers Ji-hu chuckled quietly.

"What are you laughing about?"

"You."

"Me? What did I do?"

"You just made his day, and you don't even realize it."

"Don't be silly."

"It's true. The beautiful, foreign girlfriend of an F4 complementing his food? He's thrilled."

"Stop teasing," she said with a playful glare before returning to her soup, but Ji-hu could see a little color was flooding into her cheeks.

"I wouldn't tease you. Surely you're aware of the attention you receive whenever you're with F4?"

"The attention, I assure you, is focused on the F4. Me, the companion, is just a shadow."

For some reason, the way she lowered her eyes into her soup irked him as she spoke so lowly of herself. She was not a woman lacking confidence, nor was she the type to fish for complements. Yet, for some reason, a self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips and made him set down his spoon.

"You could never be a shadow. Isadora Wagner is...a masterly faceted gem. You reflect others light, making it brighter, but there is a beautiful fire in you that is uniquely...Izzie."

A moment passed and Ji-hu swallowed hard as he wondered what had possessed him to speak such nonsense out loud. Izzie sat completely still, slowly raising her head to meet his eyes, an odd, hazy expression on her face. Ji-hu suddenly felt warm and had the overwhelming urge to squirm. He finally broke eye contact and returned his attention to his meal, but felt her eyes linger on him. He ignored her, letting her stew over his words as he continued to eat. She eventually lifted her chopsticks and finished her meal.

They left the restaurant several minutes later, pausing awkwardly outside next to their bikes.

"So I – "

"Well, that – "

They spoke simultaneously then stopped, chuckling and smiling at each other.

"Thank you, again, for coming with me today. And for dinner, but next time, you have to promise to let me pay, deal?"

"As you wish."

"Thank you. Well, I'll leave first!" she waived then grabbed her helmet, straddling her bike as she put it on. Ji-hu busied himself with his own when he heard her call his name.

"Yes?"

"Well, tomorrow afternoon I have to meet with the caterer to discuss possible menus. Would that count as buying your lunch?"

He grinned, nodding his head in agreement.

"Great! I'll text you the information. Good night!"

"Good night," he called as she sped off back towards her hotel. He was mildly impressed that she hadn't bothered to check for directions, and he had no doubt that she would find her way without getting lost. He expected she had probably spent part of her flight to Korea memorizing the streets of Seoul. He shook his head and took off towards his own home, surprised to find himself humming as he parked his bike and walked in the door.

_Perhaps I have my own fireman to cheer me up and save me from myself. Perhaps...it may be nice to have a new friend._

He stood, lost in thought for a moment before a large yawn interrupted him. He tossed aside thoughts of Izzie and firemen as he prepared for bed, but just as he was fading into sleep an image appeared in his mind of a woman with pale curves and green eyes, wearing a uniform that would not be deemed safe for any fire company. She disappeared almost immediately as he fell into slumber, but still managed to bring a smile to his lips.

**A/N: Some of you may have noticed the not-so-subtle nod I gave to another Kim Hyun-joong series: Playful/Naughty/Mischievous Kiss. I couldn't help myself, and I sort of like the idea that both of his characters end up as doctors in the same world and never, ever cross paths...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"No, absolutely not!" Izzie shook her head in disbelief.

"It's true," Ji-hu shrugged, sipping his tea with an even expression.

"That can't be. You cannot convince me that you did not prefer the white chocolate almond with the cherry filling to the lemon cake with blueberry!"

The woman presenting them with the long line of cakes exchanged a look with her assistant before quietly excusing them both from the room. Now alone, Izzie leaned back in her chair, turning to glare at Ji-hu. He playfully matched her pose, stooping to meet her gaze directly. Izzie found it difficult to maintain her composure as he grinned at her, but she fought to keep the smile from her face.

"This is serious business, _Doc_. You are rejecting what may be the lightest, most delicious cake that has ever existed. It tastes like a cloud, Ji-hu! A cloud!"

"That well may be. I liked the lemon. And I don't think either is right for the wedding."

"Aish! You're impossible!" she threw up her hands and grabbed her teacup and notebook, scanning over her scribbled reviews of each of the cakes they had sampled. Every possible fruit combination had been prepared for them, and each cake was fluffier and lighter than the previous until Izzie was half convinced she was eating air. She was fully convinced, however, that this day was her favorite wedding planning day yet.

It had been nearly a month since she had come to Korea, and in that time she and Ji-hu had started meeting every day to work on the wedding. After a while, they had also begun to spend time together without the 'wedding gamebook' as she had affectionately named it. Ji-hu had given her tours of Seoul and the surrounding area, they had gone to movies and before long Izzie found she was annoyed during those hours of the day he was at the hospital and she had to take care of other Shinhwa business.

"Sir, Madam, if it would please you, I have another cake I would like for you to try. It is a new recipe that our pastry chef has been perfecting and, while he does not think it is quite ready, I think it may suit your needs." The cake lady's voice interrupted Izzie's musings and she immediately straightened to attention as the assistant brought in two new plates, setting them carefully before Izzie and Ji-hu.

Izzie eyed the cake critically, surprised that she hadn't noticed they hadn't previously been presented with a chocolate option. She picked up her fork and took a small bite, her eyes going wide before they finally drifted close in satisfaction. The chocolate was dark, nearly bitter, but so smooth it felt more like a truffle than cake. It was then that the flavor of lime cut through the chocolate and almost cleansed her palate, cutting the richness of the dense cake so that it didn't weigh heavily on her stomach. She quickly looked to Ji-hu, who was smiling in equal enjoyment.

"This is it, right?" she asked, taking another bite though she had long ago passed the point of wanting more cake.

"No question," he agreed.

"Miss Lee, thank you. Tell your chef not to change a thing: this cake is perfect!"

The woman and assistant bowed, looking pleased with themselves, and Izzie quickly hashed out the details with the woman for the wedding and graciously accepted a box containing the remainder of the sample cake they had tried. When they left the bakery, Izzie couldn't help but open the box and took another taste of the frosting.

"How can you stand any more sugar? I feel I've eaten enough for the week!" Ji-hu chided as she slid her finger from her mouth.

"I know, but that icing is so good! I'm such a sucker for cream cheese. What?" she quirked her head as he gave her an odd look.

He shook his head and reached into his pocket, stepping closer as he pulled out a handkerchief. Izzie froze, her breath catching as he held the back of her head with one hand, and with the other wiped the corner of her mouth with the silk handkerchief. As he brushed her lip Izzie found her eyes focusing on his, suddenly wondering if they were as soft as they appeared. She brushed away the thought as he stepped back, instead just smiling him her thanks.

Admittedly, that moment was not the first that she had found herself thinking about kissing Ji-hu. In fact, her mind over the last few nights had been wandering far past kissing and well into areas that made her embarrassed to think of in the daytime. She hadn't read much into it, given that he was an incredibly attractive male and she was a straight female that hadn't had any intimate physical contact in an embarrassingly long time. As the thoughts started to flood into her waking thoughts, however, Izzie realized that, perhaps, she was becoming a little more than just attracted to Ji-hu.

"So, now that we're full of cake, would you like to go for a ride? Maybe take a walk in Namsan park?" he asked, seeming to ignore the way she had momentarily been lost in thought.

"Oh, I wish I could. Unfortunately, I have a dress fitting to attend, since Jan-di doesn't have any more cousins to scrounge up for the wedding." While Izzie had been relieved when Jan-di agreed it was best to ask a cousin instead of Seo-hyun to be in her wedding, she had been less than thrilled to learn she would still have to be in the wedding party herself.

"Are you going by yourself?"

"Mmhm. Jan-di had her fitting with Ga-eul yesterday. I couldn't go because of that meeting with the photographer so they're slipping me in this evening. Then I think I'm going to go back to the hotel, order pizza, have a beer and try to find some American baseball."

"Feeling homesick?"

"Maybe a touch," Izzie admitted, not realizing how much she had been missing the States until the past few days. She craved insignificant things like root beer and Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, and was looking forward to a night of indulging in as much Americana as she could gather.

"Could I join you?"

Izzie was caught off-guard by his question and when she looked at him, she realized Ji-hu seemed just as surprised he had asked it. He smiled, then and Izzie knew she couldn't refuse.

"Of course. But I can't imagine any of that sounds exciting to you."

"Mm. I like baseball."

He began to prepare his bike, and Izzie took her cue to do the same, oddly pleased that he wanted to spend such a laid back evening with her. She drove off without a word, hearing him follow behind her as they took off to the boutique where their gowns were being made. A rumble caused her to glance upwards and Izzie noticed the overcast sky was becoming a bit more ominous. She prayed the weather would hold out until she was happily tucked away in her hotel.

Izzie's prayer went unanswered. As soon as she had finished changing back into her regular clothing the sky opened and a deluge began to assault the city.

"Would you like me to call a car?" Ji-hu asked as she joined him at the front window of the shop.

"It did have to pour on the only day I've had to park blocks away from my destination, huh?" She watched the water rushing like a small river in the gutter, but realized she would rather be wet than deal with the headache of worrying about the safety of her bike all night.

"I won't melt. You?" she asked with a grin.

"I'll survive," he answered with a matching smile.

He followed her after accepting an umbrella from one of the girls in the shop, opening it over them as they stepped out into the storm. She was thankful that she had chosen to wear boots as the sidewalk was already flooded in certain spots from the rain, and she found she was equally thankful Ji-hu had chosen to wear dark colors for once as most puddles were entirely unavoidable.

"I guess it's a good thing we couldn't go to the park, hm?" she asked after a particularly loud clap of thunder had caused them both to jump.

"Yeah, looks like things turned out for the best."

"Although, I hope the storm keeps up. I love the sound of rain at night."

"Me too. My house is so quiet the rain sounds like a symphony when it hits the roof; it's beautiful."

"The house I grew up in had a screened in porch and whenever as storm was blowing in my dad and I would go sit out there and watch the rain sweep in the valley. My mom always thought we were crazy, but it was just amazing." Izzie felt a pang of nostalgia as she thought of her childhood home and the way her mother would always tell her father they were fools for coming in on sunny days and going out on rainy ones.

"And how do your parents feel about you moving to Korea?"

"Um...they're pretty quiet about it. My dad died when I was twelve from a blood clot. Hence I can't sit still on a plane...I just think about what happened to him the whole time."

"And...your mom?"

"Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when I was twenty-one. She died ten months later."

"I'm sorry."

Izzie ignored the old ache that started any time her parents were mentioned. She shrugged and gave him a weak smile. "I was lucky. I got to have time with both of my parents and have cherished memories. And I had my mom to help me through dad's death, and ten months to prepare for hers. That's better than becoming an orphan at five. Or, worse, having living parents that may as well be dead, like Jun-pyo."

Izzie almost stepped into the rain when she realized that Ji-hu had stopped walking. She looked up at him curiously and grew concerned when she saw his expression was almost angry.

"You shouldn't measure your own unhappiness by someone else's. You are allowed to be sad for your own loss, even if you think someone else's is greater. You can never know someone else's pain, so you shouldn't assume you know it's weight."

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply – "

"It's all right. Just know that...it's okay to be sad for yourself. Even if someone is in a worse situation, it's okay to acknowledge yours is bad too."

Before she could respond Ji-hu started walking again, taking her to her bike and handing her the helmet before he closed the umbrella and put on his own. Izzie tried to push away the sudden gloominess that had come over her, not wanting to ruin the fun day they had enjoyed to that point. She drove carefully on the wet roads that led to her hotel, enjoying the feel of the raindrops that soaked through her pants as they hit her. By the time they had parked she was feeling slightly better, but felt her stomach drop when Ji-hu grabbed her arm as she stepped into the lobby. She looked at him and he gave her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you how to feel. After my parents died, everyone kept telling me how I should handle it. For years they would give their opinions on how I should grieve and it infuriated me. I shouldn't have done that to you."

Izzie felt her mood instantly brighten as she patted his hand. "It's all right. At least you know what you're talking about."

"Hm. I suppose."

"Hey! I have an idea!" The thought struck her suddenly and she ignored the people that were grumbling about them blocking the doors to the lobby. "Why don't we play a drinking game while we wait for the pizza. We'll share the most awful and creative condolences we've received from people who have heard about our parents dying! Person with the best or most unique advice wins!"

Ji-hu laughed heartily then, and all trace of Izzie's previous melancholy suddenly disappeared. She linked arms with him as he laughed and led the way to the elevators, already thinking about all of the terrible things people had said to her in their misguided attempts to provide comfort.

"You have such a strange outlook on life, Izzie," he said as the elevator door opened.

"I know," she said, beaming at him. "Wait, you did mean that as a complement, right?"

Ji-hu only responded by shaking his head and grinning, which was enough to satisfy Izzie. They didn't speak as the elevator door opened, stepping aside to let a middle-aged couple pass them before they stepped into the car. Just before the door slid shut, Izzie saw the woman turn back to look at them before speaking loudly enough for her to hear: "what a glamorous couple, don't you think? I wonder if she was one of those Hollywood stars."

Izzie looked at Ji-hu and they both burst out laughing as soon as the doors were closed. By the time they reached her floor Izzie was wiping tears from her eyes.

"_Miss Hollywood_," Ji-hu said with a bow as he held the car doors open for her.

"Oh, shut up! _Bear_ is a bad enough nickname!" she lamented as she walked into the hallway, though secretly she smiled.

_It wouldn't be so bad to be your Hollywood girlfriend. If only you had come to New York instead of JP._..she shook the thought away as she opened the door to her hotel room.

_No, Izzie. You are done having crushes on emotionally unavailable guys. Stop trying to compete with Jan-di. Just let him be your friend._

She shut and locked the door with that mantra in her head, shoving aside the hints of butterflies in her stomach as she headed for the refrigerator of beer.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It had been almost a week since Izzie had left on an emergency business trip with Jun-pyo, and Ji-hu found himself growing more irritable and introverted daily. By the third day of her trip he was aware that everyone in the hospital was avoiding him as much as possible, but no matter what he tried, he couldn't shake the mood. When he wasn't at work, he wandered his house, re-reading books that barely held his attention. He even tried to use Rui to dispel the depression, but even his prized horse couldn't lighten his mood.

The only effective treatment he found was sleep. The morning of his day off he slept late, finally emerging from his bedroom at noon and wondering what to do with himself when he found a text waiting on his phone. There was a brief moment where his heart dropped, as if he was disappointed, when he saw that the message was not from Izzie, but Jan-di. He scowled, wondering if it was the wedding planning that was making him feel down when he saw Jan-di's name. He shook his head, avoiding introspection when he was already suffering from ennui, and realized as he looked at his phone that he had also gone a week without speaking to Jan-di.

_Why didn't you realize that sooner? She used to be the only person to make you truly smile. How could you forget that?_

He responded to her text, agreeing to help her study and inviting her to come to his house. He busied himself preparing her favorite tea for them until he heard her light knock on the door. Ji-hu called for her to enter and smiled when she poked her head into the kitchen.

"Hey, seonbae, I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you."

"Of course not. Have a seat."

She followed his instructions, setting down her books, bag and sitting at the kitchen island.

"How have you been? I have been so busy with exams and classes, I feel like I we've become strangers."

"We could never be strangers," he said with a smile as he set a steaming cup and saucer before her, having already prepared it to her taste. "Besides, I have been working a lot since Dr. Kim has been on vacation."

"That's wonderful! How much longer do you have to complete your work at the hospital?" She made a face as she burned herself on the tea, something she did every time he made it.

"Oh not much longer. A few months, perhaps," he said vaguely. In truth, Ji-hu's residency had ended weeks before; he was currently working as a full staff surgeon, but he had no intention of telling Jan-di that he was just biding his time until she graduated.

"That would be perfect timing! Assuming, of course that I graduate."

"Of course you will. Don't collapse now."

"I don't know. It seems that this test is so much harder than the others, and I didn't do very well on them. Perhaps I'm not smart enough to be a doctor."

"Don't be foolish: of course you are. Whatever you set your heart to, you accomplish. No force can stop the fearsome Geum Jan-di."

She gave him the warm smile that made him feel like he was standing in sunshine, but something about it felt less warm. He was beginning to grow annoyed, now, that his bad mood wouldn't dissipate.

"Hey, Ji-hu-seonbae, is everything all right?"

"Hm? Of course." He quickly offered her a smile and sat down next to her at the island. "Now, what is giving Fearsome Jan-di the most trouble?"

They spent the next few hours going over her notes, Ji-hu's mood lightening somewhat as he quizzed her and laughed at the creative answers she would give to the questions she didn't know. They eventually moved to his living room, spreading out the books and themselves on the coffee table and sofa. She had brought over a boxed lunch for them to share and they talked and joked as they ate, something Ji-hu felt they hadn't really done since Jun-pyo's return.

"So, when will Jun-pyo be back from Japan?" he asked, masking the tone of his question with indifference.

"Mm, he said they would be back tomorrow before Yi-jeong's opening."

"Of course." In his dolor Ji-hu had almost forgotten about his friend's exhibit, or the invitation that sat on his desk.

"He said he may have to go back right away, though. The deal he is working on isn't quite finished and if Izzie can't complete it tomorrow night he will have to fly back the next day."

"Izzie's not coming with him?" His mood dipped again, and irritation crawled up his spine at the thought that Jun-pyo would abandon his work to his assistant while she was already so occupied with his wedding plans.

"He said she told him that Yi-jeong's opening was too important for him to miss and that she would handle things. She said it was a big night for Yi-jeong and it would be important to him to have all F4 there for support."

He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. Of course she would be concerned about his friends and Jun-pyo making time for their important events. It very likely never entered her mind that she would bear the workload herself while, he was sure, she continued to finalize arrangements for the wedding that was now just a month away. He thought he should text her, to remind her that she needed to take care of herself and eat at least two full meals daily (they had reached a compromise weeks ago).

"So, Jun-pyo mentioned that you have been spending a lot of time with Izzie-ssi?" Jan-di's questions broke through his thoughts and he answered her quickly as he speared a rice ball.

"Hm. I'm helping her with wedding plans."

"About that, Ji-hu – "

"If you're going to apologize again: don't."

Nearly every time they brought an idea to Jan-di for approval she apologized that they had to do so much work for her and promised to be of assistance. Izzie tried to assuage Jan-di's conscious by telling her that most brides in the States went crazy if they didn't hire a wedding planner to handle the majority of the work, but Jan-di still looked a little forlorn whenever they brought her something for consideration.

"No, I was just going to say: thank you. I...I know it must be hard for you with...well...I just wanted you to know, I appreciate you." She closed her eyes tightly and bowed her head as she blurted her words and Ji-hu felt his heart squeeze. She was sweet, Jan-di, and he would always adore that quality that allowed her to be so kind, but such a tough fighter.

"Honestly? It's been fun." Her head shot up and her eyes went wide as she looked at him, her face blank with shock.

"F...fun?"

"Yeah. It's a challenge. And Izzie has such unusal ideas. Last week she called when I was in the middle of a surgery to ask what I thought about ice sculptures."

"Ice...sculptures?"

"In the middle of spring she wants to know if we should have stars and moons made out of ice. I told her unless she planned to give guests rain coats and boots we probably shouldn't and that I would call her when I wasn't completing an appendectomy." Ji-hu laughed at the memory, remembering shocked expressions of the nurses in the O.R. and the way the anesthesiologist had looked at him like he was losing his mind. As soon as he had said 'wedding plans' they all nodded sympathetically and the nurses had begun furiously whispering to each other for the next several days whenvever he passed.

"What do you think of Izzie? Jun-pyo speaks so highly of her, and she seems so nice, but every time we are alone together she becomes...shy."

Ji-hu's smile faded, but he covered by taking a sip of his tea. Jan-di was not stupid, and Izzie's heart was apparent to anyone who looked past her polished surface. He had promised to carry her secret, but he wondered how long it would be before someone else realized the truth.

"Izzie-ssi has a big heart, and works very hard to make everyone happy. She doesn't know when she's at her limit, and is terrified to let anybody down. Like when someone had all of those part-time jobs, Izzie-ssi will work until she collapses." He nudged her so that she would know he was teasing her by bringing up the memory. He waited for her to smile shyly before he continued.

"People like that, they can become wrapped up in their work and close out everyone else so that they can focus on doing a perfect job." Ji-hu saw Jan-di nod and felt he had covered adequately. He wasn't exactly sure why, then, he felt the need to continue as he opened his mouth and started to speak again.

"When she relaxes, though, she is an entirely different person. Fun. Funny. She can make anything a joke, especially at her own expense. She can't stand people who think they're better than everyone else and she really loves new experiences, even if it's just going to a new restaurant. Honestly, I think you two would be great friends." He finally looked to Jan-di, who was watching him with a strange smile on her face.

"Seonbae, I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time. You really...like her, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Izzie-ssi is intelligent and caring – "

"You _like_ her, Ji-hu-seonbae."

"I – " Ji-hu froze, shocked that a rebuttal or denial didn't spring immediately to his lips. Instead, he felt...relieved.

It was as if the dark feelings that had gripped him all week suddenly released and allowed him to view his situation with perfect clarity.

He was falling for Izzie.

Ji-hu's thumb traced the rim of his teacup as he stared, unseeing, into the liquid. He had long ago acknowledged that the attraction he had felt for her was something he had never experienced with another woman. Even in adolescence he hadn't been plagued with fantasies the way he had since he had met Izzie. Though he had been somewhat disconcerted by the sudden surfacing of passion he had honestly thought he lacked, he had not considered it to be a portent warning him that deeper feelings were growing. Now, he wondered how he could have been so blind not to realize that she had become the first person he thought of in the morning, as well as the person his thoughts lingered on as he fell asleep.

But he was in love with Jan-di? How could he possibly fall for one woman while he was in love with another? An image of Seo-hyun sprang to mind and he realized that was exactly what he had done with her. He had felt like a burden, alone in their apartment in Paris, and had found his mind constantly going to Jan-di. It was then that he had made the decision to pack his things and return to Korea, unable to believe in his love with Seo-hyun any longer when his mind dwelt on another girl.

"Oh, it's late. I promised Ga-eul I would help her decide what to wear for tomorrow." Jan-di's voice cut into his thoughts and Ji-hu realized he had forgotten she was still in the room. He rose and helped her gather her things, too distracted to notice the pleased smile she had every time she looked at him. He walked her to the door and offered to give her a ride but she waived him off, lamenting the need for exercise so that she could properly fit into her wedding dress.

After he had waived goodbye, Ji-hu aimlessly wandered back to his sofa, sitting heavily and staring out of the window to watch Jan-di depart. The usual disappointment and longing was completely missing as she faded from his view. Instead, he felt oddly at peace. At first he couldn't recognize the feeling, as he couldn't remember the last time he had experienced any calm deeper than serenity. This feeling, however, was so intense it was as if he had just stepped into a land without gravity.

"I really like her," he admitted, smiling as the words were said out loud.

_Now_, he thought, _what do I do about that?_

~o~

Izzie tapped her foot and looked at her phone for the thousandth time before she looked miserably out the window. Yi-jeong's opening had begun fifteen minutes ago and they were still circling the Seoul airport, waiting for clearance to land. She was already dressed, and had arranged for someone else to pick up her luggage and deliver it to her hotel. Her only carryon was the clutch she held in her lap and the leather folder that was tucked safely beside her. She ran her hands over the cover, grinning with relief that she finally had all but one signature she needed on the document inside.

After she had sent Jun-pyo back to Seoul she had worked around the clock negotiating with President Akiyama and his company's board until, finally, they had reached a mutually acceptable agreement. She was thrilled she had managed the negotiation on her own and could not wait until she tell Jun-pyo he wouldn't need to return to Japan; she had handled everything as promised.

Her heart leapt as the flight attendant announced they would be starting their final descent and she heard cheers from the back of the plane. Her foot bounced as she checked the time again, mentally calculating how long it would take to get to the museum at this time of night on a Saturday. She was sure to miss the toast, but hoped she would at least be able to snag a few hors d'oeuvres and a glass of that divine pinot noir. Her mind fluttered to the night of the ballet, filling her mind with the image of Ji-hu in his white tux, smiling at her as she had made a fool of herself. Her heart did another small leap when she thought of how close they had become in the subsequent weeks. She had been in agony in Japan, desperately wishing she could call him for his opinion, wondering what he was doing while she was editing draft after draft of an endless contract.

She had tried to call him, but every time she had a free minute Jun-pyo would need her to run an errand or make a business call. Naturally, she had done as she was told, but by the end she was beginning to grumble that she was going to buy him a Rosetta Stone and force him to bring up his Japanese skills. Still, it had been refreshing to step away from wedding plans for a while and have some time with Jun-pyo again. The time, however, didn't feel quite right. They're friendship had been light and easy in the States, but whether it was because of the intensity of their business or the amount of other work they each had on their plates, they're relationship now felt slightly strained. It was as if they had forgotten how to talk to each other as friends, since all of their communication for weeks had either been about the business or the wedding.

The plane's tires screeched on the runway and as soon as the jet slowed Izzie had her seatbelt off. She managed to politely excuse herself so that she was the first person exiting the plane. She dashed through the terminal, was passed through customs once she flashed her passport and work ID and nearly sprinted through the concourse, her heels clicking on the tile. She sent up a prayer of thanks when she was immediately ushered into a cab and pleaded with the driver to take the quickest route possible. True to his promise, he delivered her to the steps of the museum in under an hour. She tipped him generously, checked her hair and makeup in his rearview mirror and calmly exited the cab, smiling pleasantly at the guests outside as she entered the museum.

Instantly, the sounds of strings hit her ears and sent a soothing hum through her body. She had started listening to the playlist Ji-hu had given her religiously, and now she had almost a Pavlovian response to the sound of classical strings and piano. She grinned when she caught a passing hors d'oeuvres tray and found her glass of pinot once the last crumb of philo dough was gone from her fingertips. Izzie surveyed the room as she sipped her wine, and while the place was packed, she saw no sign of any of the F4.

"Looking for me, _baby_?"

Izzie giggled when the voice spoke behind her, turning to find Woo-bin, looking dashing and slightly rakish as expected.

"You know, you will be much happier when you learn to seek the girl, instead of letting her seek you," she said, nudging him lightly with her elbow.

"How do you know I wasn't looking for you all night, _doll_?"

"Woo-bin-oppa! Where did you...oh! Here he is!" Two girls, who Izzie estimated to only have the intelligence of a bowl of kimchi between them, chose that moment to appear from the crowd and snuggle up to Woo-bin. Izzie snickered as Woo-bin nearly rolled his eyes. Instead, a wolfish grin spread over his lips as he put his arms around his dates.

"Ladies, perfect timing. This is the sad, spinster sister of one of my colleagues and I must honor him by dancing with her. So you, take this, and you take these." Before Izzie could object Woo-bin handed off her clutch, folder and wine and took her arm. "If you girls could hold those for just a moment, I promise I'll make it worth your while." He winked at them and the girls tittered and nodded eagerly as Woo-bin directed her to the dance floor.

"Woo-bin – "

"You're right. It _is _more fun when I have to do the chasing." He swept her into the waltz and Izzie couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"I pity the girl you finally do fall in love with. She has her hands full."

"In more ways than one," he said with a raised eyebrow that once again sent her into giggles.

"So tell me, Izzie dear, who _were _you looking for so intently when I interrupted you? Would he happen to be a golden-haired doctor who has been awfully surly since you and Jun-pyo went away?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about," Izzie laughed, but felt a blush warm her cheeks.

"Oh, I see I've hit the nail. So our Ji-hu _has_ moved on from Jan-di."

"No, it's nothing like – "

"Believe me, Izzie Wagner, I know my friend well. I only ask that you don't make it public until after the wedding. I have 50,000 won riding on it, and I've lost twice now to Yi-jeong. If I lose a third time I won't be able to live with myself."

Izzie felt dizzy and her heart was beginning to beat uncomfortably fast. Surely Woo-bin was simply joking – teasing her as he always did. He couldn't seriously believe that Ji-hu had fallen out of love with Jan-di so quickly and moved on to her.

"Song Woo-bin, I can guarantee there won't be any such announcement before the wedding. Your money is safe," she answered evenly as she mentally shook away his comments. It was natural, given the amount of time she had been spending with Ji-hu that his friends would assumed that there was something romantic between them.

Izzie sighed.

Her brows suddenly knotted and she barely missed stepping on Woo-bin's foot.

_Stop that Isadora. Falling for Jun-pyo was bad enough; you are not doing the same with Ji-hu. _

_ I do not love Ji-hu._

She caught a glimpse of a white jacket as Woo-bin spun her around the floor and her heart caught in her throat. It remained stuck when Woo-bin stopped and turned to greet Ji-hu.

"_Hey buddy_, we were just talking about you!" Instead of stepping on Woo-bin's foot, Izzie had the sudden urge to stomp on it as she blushed.

"Oh really?" Ji-hu gave her a smile that dislodged her heart, but sent it fluttering back into her chest so fast it took her breath. She caught it again when Woo-bin's Kimchi Twins suddenly appeared with her clutch and folder; the wine was, unsurprisingly, missing.

"Woo-bin-oppa, aren't you tired of the plain American?"

"Dance with us now!"

"Looks like you've got your hands full, Woo-bin. Allow me to make things easier?" Ji-hu smiled again, holding out his hand for Izzie. She felt a tingle up her arm as she touched his palm, feeling the warmth of his skin through her glove.

"Hi," she managed to breathe as she took a step closer to him, her heart now thundering as his smile brightened.

"Hi," he whispered back and Izzie looked away before she completely melted into the floor. Her smile dimmed, however, when she caught sight of Jun-pyo.

He was chatting with an associate, Jan-di nowhere in sight, and Izzie knew it was the perfect time to get him to sign her contract. Ji-hu had followed her gaze and she gave an apologetic smile as she released his hand and grabbed her things from the Twins.

"Hold that thought for just a moment? I have to take care of a small piece of business with Jun-pyo, then I promise I'll be right back."

"Of course," he said with a nod, but the smile had dimmed on his face as well and for a moment she thought she saw a flash of disappointment. She didn't give herself time to dwell, however, as she excused herself and darted through the gallery, avoiding servers and guests with spins and close dodges. When she finally reached him she was pleased to watch his eyes widen in surprise.

"_Bear_, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to keep working until the contract – "

"It's done," she interrupted, holding up the folder. "All it needs is your signature."

"Wh – I'm sorry, will you excuse me?" he nodded to the gentleman with whom he'd been conversing and gestured for her to follow him.

She trotted behind him as he navigated hallways until he found and unoccupied gallery with only benches and empty pedestals for art.

"Let me see it," he almost barked and she handed over the folder, unable to contain her grin as he began to read the document. Her smile dimmed, however, as she saw anger darken his face as he flipped the pages until he finally slammed the folder on the bench.

"Fifteen point nine? You agreed to fifteen point nine? What the hell were you thinking!?"

"I'm...I'm sorry?"

"I had said we wouldn't go higher than fourteen point seven! Was there something unclear about that?"

"Jun-pyo – "

"How on earth could you be so stupid, huh? Fifteen point nine...we're barely going to be turning a profit with that! Are you trying to bankrupt us?"

"No!" His anger was contagious as she shifted from glee, to crushing disappointment, to outrage. "What sort of profit would the Akiyama Group have gotten with that measly fourteen point seven? It was unreasonable and you knew it!"

"But they didn't! They're on unstable ground after that nuclear power plant disaster; they didn't have leverage to negotiate!"

"Of course they did! They had money you need to make the project happen!"

"Idiot! I could have found other money. I didn't need Akiyama and his little company for my deal to go through. There are always other investors!"

"We need to break ground in six months to avoid major losses – where were you going to find another investor?"

He rounded on her then and Izzie actually gasped as he towered menacingly over her. He forced her to step back until the back of her knees hit the bench and she landed hard next to the contract.

"I am Gu Jun-pyo of the Shinwha Group. I do not have to find investors, they come to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I – "

"Then good. Understand this as well. You are not a board member of the Shinwha Group. You are not even a vice president. You are just my personal assistant, and from now on, that will be all you do. You will arrange my private affairs, you will arrange my meetings, but you will never, _ever_ again go near my business. Do you understand me?" She looked at the floor, unable to meet his eyes as her own burned and her throat began to close. Her hesitation irritated him, as he nearly roared: "Do you understand!"

"Yes!" she cried, squeezing her eyes shut in an effort to keep the tears at bay as she balled her fists in her skirt.

"Good."

Izzie sat frozen in fear, despair and rage, holding her breath as she waited for him to say something more. Instead, she felt him reach for the folder and heard the click of a pen. She looked up to see him scratching his name on the bottom of the document.

"What...what are you doing?" she asked, her voice embarrassingly small and quavering.

"I'm signing the deal."

"But you – "

"You've already given the word of the Shinhwa Group. I have no choice but to go along with it. The price I have to pay for trusting a secretary to handle a simple business deal." He tossed the contract back on the bench and immediately marched out of the room, leaving Izzie alone in her humiliation.

She choked down her tears as she picked up the folder, nearly overwhelmed with the urge to throw it across the room. Instead, she very calmly gathered her purse and stood, smoothing out her dress before she stormed out of the gallery and followed the signs directing her to the bar she had heard was part of the museum.

~o~

Ji-hu waited with growing concern for Izzie to come back to the main gallery. His stomach dropped when he saw Jun-pyo march into the room, the fury rolling off him like steam. Immediately he retraced Jun-pyo's footsteps, looking into every gallery until he finally found himself at the bar. There, sitting on a stool as far from the door as possible, he found Izzie. She was finishing a glass and pouring herself another from a square bottle as he walked up. She glanced at him, giving him a smile even though he could clearly see the pain in her eyes.

"Hey! Ji-hu-ssi! Have a seat! Have a drink!" She patted the stool beside her and motioned for the bartender to bring another glass. Ji-hu cautiously sat, eyeing how much of the bottle she had already consumed, relieved when it became apparent she hadn't been there very long.

"Scotch?" he asked as he sniffed the amber liquid she poured him, her own glass already emptied and being refilled.

"Mm. It's _bourbon_. Best thing to come outta my home state. Even better than _Kentucky Fried Chicken_!"

He took a sip, trying to adjust to the smoky/sweet flavor before he put his glass down and pushed it away.

"No? Well, more for me." She reached for his glass but Ji-hu stopped her, placing his hand over hers on the glass. They sat there for a moment, neither looking at the other, until, finally, Ji-hu spoke.

"Do you want to tell me what happed with Jun-pyo?" He felt her tense at the name and he tightened his grip on her wrist, not letting her escape the question.

"_I fucked up_," she whispered so quietly that Ji-hu almost missed it. Once he realized what she said he let her slide her hand away and return to her own glass, though she merely toyed with it.

"How?"  
"You can see for yourself, if you like," she said, nodding toward the leather folder on the bar between them, still refusing to look at him.

Ji-hu pulled the folder in front of him and opened it, flipping through the pages as he quickly read the business deal. Finally, he closed the folder and turned to her.

"I don't understand."

"Apparently I don't either," she scoffed as she brought the glass to her lips, sipping at the amber liquid with a look of such bitterness Ji-hu's stomach churned.

"This is the deal you were working on in Japan?"

"Yep. Four days of work, a fifth of deadlock, and then 24 straight hours of _hardball_ and compromise until we finally got that on paper."

"Jun-pyo's not satisfied?" She scoffed again, her eyes still fixed forward.

"He thinks it's a disaster. I've ruined him, apparently. Instead of making hundreds of millions, he'll only be make tens of millions. Such a hard life, huh?" She drained her glass again, but didn't move to refill it. "Stupid me, I thought he would be proud of me, but I guess I was just caught up in my own pride. 'Look at me, accomplishing something the great GuJun-pyo couldn't'. Making progress when we thought there was no further to go. Finding a way to get what we want, while making thing palatable for the other guys. Such an idiot."

Ji-hu sat in silence, inwardly seething, but outwardly calm. Why was it that Jun-pyo had to constantly hurt the women he cared about? And why was it they continued to care for him, even when he trampled on them so violently? He rubbed the bridge of his nose before he turned to look at Izzie, the hardness behind her eyes breaking him.

She had looked so beautiful when she had come in that he had been frozen in place, unable to move as he watched her savor an hors d'oeuvre then accept a glass of wine, her eyes scanning the room until Woo-bin had approached her. He had felt a stab of jealousy when his friend had taken her arm and walked her onto the dance floor. He watched them twirl, mesmerized by glimmer from the black jet sewn onto the long line heart-shaped bodice that hugged her like a corset, and enchanted by the layers of asymmetrical ruffles that ended at her knees. He had finally approached and the look she had given him had released a swarm of butterflies in his stomach. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair pulled in a loose ponytail over one shoulder and her glasses shield was missing, allowing him to look directly into her eyes and count the freckles of gold. It took everything he had not to whisk her off the dance floor and to some private corner when she had placed her small, gloved hand in his, looking at him with a mix of wonder and, he thought, desire.

Now, all sign of that enchanting girl was gone, shattered on the floor of some part of the museum with Jun-pyo's footprints all over them. As the anger swelled in him again Ji-hu downed the contents of his glass, wincing at the flavor before he turned to her.

"Jun-pyo doesn't have the right to knock you down like that. He owes you everything, and if he doesn't recognize that, then he's a bigger idiot than I thought. Izzie you – "

"Just take me home," she interrupted him, finally turning her head and meeting his eyes. Defeat now weighed down her shoulders and dulled her to the point her exhaustion was now visible, despite her expertly applied makeup to hide it.

"Please, Ji-hu just...just take me home."

He silently acquiesced, helping her from the stool and slipping his jacket around her shoulders as he led her out the bar's side door to the street. She stood with her arms crossed, clutching the folder as Ji-hu hailed a taxi, opening the door for her and giving the driver the address to her hotel as he climbed in beside her. When they pulled up in front Ji-hu paid while Izzie let herself out of the car.

"I'll walk you up," he said as he took her elbow and walked her through the lobby.

"Thank you," she murmured, giving him a weak smile as they waited for the elevator.

He followed her to her room, waiting as she retrieved her key from her clutch, and she held the door open for him to follow her into the room. Immediately she kicked off her heels by the suitcase sitting near the door, dropping his jacket over the handle and padded barefoot into the suite, tossing her jewelry on a stand with her purse and folder as he leaned against the wall, watching her. She finally turned to him, giving him another sad smile as she began to pull pins from her hair.

"You don't have to stay. I'm fine. I'm just exhausted."

"I can see that. Did you eat?"

"At the party?" He knew from her tone that she was teasing, and that she had most certainly not had a meal in over twelve hours.

"Get changed. I'll order something from room service."

"Ji-hu, really, I'm fine."

"Have you found another doctor?"

"I...no..."

"Then I am still your physician. I will not be satisfied leaving until I know that you are properly taking care of your health. Now go."

He picked up the menu from the bedside table and began flipping through, reviewing the menu. He watched from the corner of his eye as she sighed, then moved to her dresser, retrieving what he assumed were her pajamas. He was surprised, however, when instead of going to the bathroom, she crossed to stand in front of him. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment before finally meeting his eyes.

"Can you help with my dress? It's knotted."

Ji-hu swallowed hard but gave a slight nod. Izzie turned and Ji-hu took a deep breath as he reached for the ribbon that held her bodice together. Carefully, he unknotted the bow and slowly began to loosen the laces. He felt his blood surge when his fingers brushed the bare skin of her back as he worked apart the sides of the dress. By the time he reached the top blood was pounding in his ears and he barely heard her tell him it was enough before she crossed quickly to the bathroom, holding her dress up as she walked.

Ji-hu sat heavily on the bed, concentrating on breathing to get his body back to some semblance of order. Once again he was reminded that even when she looked pitiful and he was mad as hell, Izzie brought out a physical reaction in him that no other woman ever had. While he had worshipped Seo-hyun and adored Jan-di, neither of them ever elicited the blood boiling want Ji-hu had felt since Izzie had first leaned against him when he found her at the Foundation.

After a moment Ji-hu picked up the menu again, but his reading was interrupted by a small noise. He, again, set the booklet down and listened intently, determining that the muffled sound was coming from the bathroom. He stood and crossed slowly to the door, knocking on it lightly.

"Izzie? Everything okay?"

She didn't respond, and the noise hadn't stopped so Ji-hu very cautiously tried the door handle. It was unlocked, and so he pushed the door open an inch.

"Izzie, I'm coming in, all – oh, Izzie..." he sighed as he fully opened the door.

She sat on the floor, her back resting against the bathtub as she cried into the collar of her bathrobe; her attempt to muffle the sound clearly not as successful as she hoped. His chest tightened when she looked up at him, her heart obviously breaking with every sob. He lowered himself to the floor beside her, put his arm over her shoulder and pulled her tightly to his side. She turned into him, releasing her robe and instead clinging to the collar of his shirt as she wept into his shoulder. Ji-hu rested his cheek on the top of her head, rubbing her back and muttering quiet reassurances as he let her empty all of her tears.

When the cries became whimper and, finally, sniffles, he let her pull back enough that he could cup her face, wiping the last tears from her eyes as she tried to turn away from him.

"Don't apologize," he said, as soon as he saw the words begin to form on her lips. She looked at him with sad appreciation, her eyes still beguiling despite the smudged mascara and red rims. She glanced down and immediately her brow furrowed in worry.

"I've ruined your shirt."

He looked down and saw that, indeed, his shoulder was not only stained with her tears, but also with her makeup. He shrugged, making the black streaks move up and down.

"I can buy another one."

"No, that's – please let me have it cleaned," she pleaded, her breath still coming in hiccups, making it very difficult to refuse her.

"Really, Izzie, you don't need to – "

"Please, Ji-hu. Let me feel like I can do something for you. I need...I may have overreached in business, but I need to know I am at least still a good assistant."

Again, his heart twisted and he finally bowed his head to concede.

"You aren't bad at business, Iz – "

"Please. I can't talk about it. I'm...I'm just too tired."

"Okay," he agreed, toying with a strand of her hair that spilled down her back.

"Thank you," she said before rising to her feet and holding out her hand. "So. Give me the shirt. I'll call down and have the cleaners fix it right away."

Ji-hu felt the first hints of panic as he looked up at her. She raised her eyebrow, indicating her impatience. "I'm not wearing another shirt," he explained and he watched the comprehension bloom on her face.

"Oh. Well. That's...that's not a problem! Here, you can wear my robe." Her hand reached for the belt and Ji-hu's breath caught. Before he could remember the words to stop her she had untied the belt and the robe fell open. Ji-hu felt a wave of relief when he realized she was clothed underneath, but then gulped when he realized what she was wearing.

The nightie she wore was simple, black with tiny white polka dots, trimmed with white lace. He sat eye level with the hem, that ended just above mid-thigh, and moving his eyes further up didn't help as he got caught on the small row of buttons that was sewn between her breasts. He closed his eyes and stood, willing himself not to look below her neck when he reopened them. She had slipped off the robe and held it draped over her arm, which meant that it thankfully now hung like a curtain in front of her, blocking his view of those long, silky looking legs that he was trying very hard not to imagine wrapped around him.

_What is wrong with me? Careful, Ji-hu, you're beginning to sound like Woo-bin or Yi-jeong. _

He took a breath, pocketed his tie and began to unbutton his shirt, looking at the wall above her head as he handed her the soiled fabric and took the plush, chenille robe. He glanced down in time to catch Izzie giving his torso a lingering look before she bolted out of the bathroom, promising to have the shirt cleaned and pressed immediately. Ji-hu took the opportunity to lean his hands on the sink and catch his breath. He looked up, catching his reflection in the mirror and was shocked by how dark his eyes had become and the slight tension around them.

"You are not a teenager," he whispered to the mirror. "She is has just been trampled on. Pull yourself together and be a good friend."

The words were a weak balm, but they were sufficient to regulate his breathing and begin returning his eyes to their normal color. He tightened the belt as he stepped out of the bathroom, steeling himself against the vision of Izzie in her nightie. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his shirt up to her cheek and rubbing it gently. She blushed furiously when she saw him looking at her and immediately stood, dropping the shirt as if it had suddenly caught fire.

"Sorry, it was just so soft I couldn't – she said someone would be right up. I'm...going to go wash my face."

He nodded and she passed him, returning to the bathroom and kicking the door almost shut behind her. He listened to the running water, letting the sound soothe him as he wandered her suite, looking at the few personal touches she had finally added to the room. He had teased her weeks ago about the fact that she had been living in Korea a month and it still felt like she had only one foot on the soil. She laughed at him and promised to begin searching for a more permanent residence after the wedding. In the meantime, he was happy she had at least put some personal effects on display in her room. He picked up a small, framed picture of a younger Izzie with a woman he assumed was her mom, judging by the similar shapes of their noses and lips. He smiled, noticing a slight sunburn on Izzie's face and significantly more freckles that she currently had. The picture had obviously been taken by Izzie and was just slightly off center, but the two faces pressed cheek to cheek, beaming into the camera was touching. There was a loud knock on the door and Ji-hu immediately set down the picture, crossing to the door and pulling it open.

"Ji-hu?"

"Jun-pyo!"

They both stood for a moment, equally surprised to see the other man standing before him. Ji-hu's face quickly darkened as he crossed his arms and shifted his weight, clearly blocking Jun-pyo's entrance to the room.

"What do you want?" He asked, forcing as much ice into his voice as possible. Jun-pyo had proved himself to be the better fighter many times, but that didn't mean Ji-hu wouldn't at least break his friend's nose if he tried to enter.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to see _B_...my assistant. What are _you_ doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Ji-hu spit the words back at him with venom and watched the scowl form on his friends face, smiling smugly at Jun-pyo's obvious displeasure.

"Ji-hu, you forgot your...oh. Jun-pyo." Izzie stopped dead when she saw him, Ji-hu's shirt dangling from her hand.

"I didn't realize I would be interrupting. I'll leave first." He turned to leave, but Izzie called after him, stepping up so that Ji-hu had to shift to allow her a clear view of Jun-pyo.

"Why are you here?" she asked, a guarded expression on her newly washed face making her appear even more vulnerable.

"I came to discuss business with you, but now I understand."

"Understand what?" she asked and Ji-hu waited for the slightest provocation to take a swing. He watched a familiar smug look pass over his friends face as he stared down at Izzie.

"I understand where your mind has been. Clearly you didn't follow me to Korea to become better in business, but to attract a rich husband. It explains your muddling of things in Japan. Now that I see that, I'll be going."

"Jun-pyo – " Ji-hu fumed as Izzie stepped past him, stopping Jun-pyo before he could walk away.

"Jun-pyo...is that really what you think is going on?" she asked him quietly, and Jun-pyo sniffed in disdain.

"I'm not so foolish to not see what's right in front of me. Clearly you've begun to think more highly of yourself and felt entitled to take liberties with your position."

"You self-righteous bastard." She spoke so quietly both Jun-pyo and Ji-hu gave her a double take to make certain they had heard her properly.

"Ex...excuse me?" Jun-pyo sputtered and when Izzie's back straightened Ji-hu would have sworn she grew nearly as tall as Jun-pyo.

"How dare you. After all these years, everything I've helped you accomplish, now I'm just the help? One of the maids you can just toss if you don't like the way she serves your tea?"

"_Bear_ – "

"Oh don't you dare! After what you said to me earlier, you think you can just drop my nickname and everything will go back to normal? Tell me, honestly, were you coming here to admit you were wrong, or just to make sure I'd learned my lesson?"

"I wasn't _wrong_, I just – "

"Shut up! I don't want to hear another word." Her voice was sharp, but still low enough to be respectful of the other hotel guests, something that made her anger seem even scarier to Ji-hu as she glared daggers into Jun-pyo.

"I've been by your side for almost five years now. First as your friend, then as your right hand. I've helped you broker more deals than I can count, and the first time I use my own judgment, _after _you left me in charge, you toss me aside because I didn't stick to your line in the sand? Well guess what, Jun-pyo? It was a stupid line! You would have never closed that deal because your arrogance. From the moment you returned to Korea you have become so self-centered and cocky that now, I can't even stand to look at you! And it disgusts me to think that I ever let myself fall in love with you."

Ji-hu's breath caught and he watched Jun-pyo closely, the surprised realization wiping away the anger from his face.

"I...Izzie – "

"_That's _why I followed you. _That's_ why I've been by your side all this time. Why I passed up positions with the U.N. and the State Department. Even when you asked me to plan your wedding, I agreed because I admired and respected you, and I just wanted to be close to you as long as possible. But now...you aren't that man and I am going to put things in terms you can understand: this is my line in the sand, GuJun-pyo. I will stay by your side, working diligently to make sure you and Jan-di have the perfect wedding I promised. I will continue to schedule your affairs, both private and professional, and I will watch you marry the girl you love that I have envied for years. But after the cake is cleaned up and the guests are gone? So am I. You can consider this my four-week notice."

The words fell like small bombs, rocking both men where they stood. Ji-hu clutched the door, his emotions twisting uncontrollably. He was amazed by the way she had stood up for herself and so proud of her for telling Jun-pyo some much needed truth that even he had been hesitant to say to his best friend. Yet his stomach dropped as she announced her plans to leave, and he felt a sense of panic rise at the idea of her disappearing from his life.

"You'll leave first," she finally said, dismissing Jun-pyo before he could respond to her pronouncement. Wisely, he backed away, finally turning and walking down the hall to the elevators.

Izzie stood frozen in place, staring at where Jun-pyo had just stood, all energy draining from her body. Ji-hu reached out and brushed her arm lightly and she gave a weak smile.

"Ji-hu, I'm sorry I stained your shirt, and I do promise to have it cleaned but, I have to ask you to leave. I'm sorry, I just...I need to be alone."

Ji-hu stood in silence as she handed him his shirt and walked away, disappearing into the bathroom once more. For a moment, he debated going after her, but thought better of it. Instead he removed his robe, laying it over a chair, and quickly dressed in his shirt, finding his jacket where she had dropped it. He hesitated for a moment longer, wanting to pull her in his arms and tell her what a brave thing she had just done, then beg her not to follow through with her promise, but in the end he chose to respect her wishes and walked out the door. He nearly walked into a member of the hotel staff in the hall, who quickly bowed to him.

"Oh, forgive me sir. I'm with the cleaning service?"

"Right. Thank you, but it turns out the services are not needed." Ji-hu brought out his wallet and tipped the boy for his trouble before crossing to the guest elevator and taking the car down, bowing his head as he walked through the lobby and making the quick decision to forgo the taxi in exchange for walking home. It was a mild night, and Ji-hu desperately needed to clear his mind after such an eventful evening.

By the time he arrived at his home, his feelings were not sorted any better than when he had left the hotel, but at least he was too exhausted to worry about them. He changed and fell into bed, praying to wake with a clearer mind, a stable heart and the answer of how to keep Izzie in Korea in hand.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It had been almost a week since Izzie had confessed her feelings then told Jun-pyo she was leaving and her mind still felt as turbulent as it had that night. She avoided people as much as possible, burying herself in work and communicating with Jun-pyo only when absolutely necessary by short texts or emails. If she was completely honest, once her anger had subsided, she didn't miss Jun-pyo as much as she had imagined. She did, however, miss Ji-hu sorely. Every day she contemplated going to see him at the hospital, or even finding out where he lived so that she could visit him at home, but then she would convince herself she was doing the best thing possible by avoiding him. She was resolved that, after the wedding, she would return to the US and close the chapter in her life that had centered around Jun-pyo, but she knew that resolve would crumble if she spent time with Ji-hu.

Unbidden images of him flooded her mind, her heart aching as she pictured his smile, her skin tingling when she remembered the feel of his fingers lightly caressing her back as he had helped her out of her dress and the unexpected sight of his lean torso. She drained her coffee and motioned for the waiter to bring her another as she desperately pushed those images from her mind, returning her attention to the notebook sitting in front of her. She had just two weeks until the wedding, and though everything was falling into place neatly, she had to be sure she hadn't missed a single detail. Her foot bounced and her pen tapped the wire café table lightly as a cool breeze lifted her hair, though she paid no heed. The blue sky and bright sun over head were completely lost to her as she became focused in her plans; so focused she also didn't notice the young woman in braided pigtails that approached her table.

"Hey, Izzie-ssi. How are you?" Izzie jumped at the sound of Jan-di's voice, and the woman cringed in apology. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, Jan-di-ssi! No, you're fine! I think may have had too much coffee, that's all."

"It's very good here. Do you...mind if I have a seat?" Izzie desperately wanted to refuse, but felt herself smile and gesture to the chair across from her.

"Of course not, join me!"

"Thank you." Jan-di sat, the waiter quickly coming over to bring Izzie's refill and to take Jan-di's order. Izzie shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to begin a conversation, wondering what Jun-pyo might have shared with her.

"So...Jun-pyo told me you are returning to the US after the wedding. Is that true?"

_Well, that answers _that_ question, _she thought as she almost choked on her coffee.

"Um, yes, it is."

"Why? Do you not like it here?"

"No. I really – I think Seoul's great. The food is amazing, the land is beautiful – I really like it."

"Then why are you running away?" Izzie froze, the understanding smile Jan-di gave her slipping between the cracks in her defenses and making her suddenly feel vulnerable. Before she realized what she was doing, she felt her façade fall and began to speak.

"It's...complicated. I think it's probably best that I go home."

"But, Jun-pyo needs you."

Izzie gave a bitter laugh as the waiter set down Jan-di's coffee and the girl set about sweetening it.

"Jun-pyo has made it clear he does not need me and I am not so low that I will allow myself to work for someone who disrespects me."

"Jun-pyo admires you more than anyone I've ever known. He constantly praises you, talks about how brilliant you are and how he couldn't run the company without you."

"Please, he – "

"He has been so upset this last week, like he has lost something precious to him. I finally got him to tell me what was wrong and...he would be furious that I said this, but he started to cry."

Izzie's eyes widened as she set down her cup, worried she might spill it in her shock. Jun-pyo, the Great GuJun-pyo, cried? That was something she had never witnessed, and could hardly imagine. She understood the fierce sincerity on Jan-di's face, however, and sat back to listen to the woman continue.

"Jun-pyo doesn't let many people near him. The F4, me, his sister: it's a very small group of people he is willing to be truly honest with. You are one of those people, Izzie, and it is devastating him that you are going to leave."

"Jan-di, I – "

"I'm sure you have your reasons for leaving, and I'm also sure that Jun-pyo is to blame. Believe me, I know how cruel he can be, and I know how difficult he is to deal with. But...he needs you Izzie. He needs someone at work he can trust and who will keep him grounded. He has worked so hard to become a good man, and he is going to struggle sometimes. He needs you to help him make the right decisions so he doesn't let his mother influence him. Please, please don't go."

Izzie sat silently for a moment, staring into the brown liquid in her cup as she processed everything Jan-di had said. She knew he hadn't put her up to finding her, and she knew he would be furious if he found out Jan-di had spoken so candidly to her behind his back. Still, Jan-di apparently didn't know some of the more important details of their argument, and Izzie wasn't sure she could continue working for him now that she had confessed her feelings. It would always hang over them, like the cloud that surrounded Ji-hu and Jan-di, and she didn't want to deal with that every day of her life.

"Thank you for telling me all of this, Jan-di. I will think about it."

"Thank you, Izzie." She smiled at her, and Izzie couldn't help but smile back. There was something about Jan-di that was irresistible. Izzie couldn't identify it, but something about the other woman's smile just made her feel a little more optimistic and light-hearted. She took another sip of her coffee, Jan-di watching her, mirroring her movements.

"You know, Jun-pyo...that's not the reason I wanted to talk to you."

Izzie raised an eyebrow, then nodded in understanding. "Oh, the wedding. I was actually just looking over my plans and debating a couple of things. Do you – "

"No, I didn't mean the wedding. The wedding will be perfect. I actually wanted to talk to you about Ji-hu-seonbae."

"Ji-hu?" Izzie's heart beat a little faster at the mention of his name, and she felt antsy, barely stopping herself from squirming in her seat.

"You know, Ji-hu lets even fewer people into his life than Jun-pyo. Not even the F4 have access to all of his thoughts and feelings."

"Ji-hu is a very private person," Izzie responded, not sure what else she should say.

"Yes, he is. And when he becomes upset about something, he retreats even further into himself. Like...like one of those Russian dolls."

"I'm sure you know him better than I do," Izzie said with an awkward chuckle, unsure where their conversation was going.

"He's been locked very tightly inside himself this week. He won't even let me in." She smiled sadly and Izzie felt a stab of pity for the other woman.

"Maybe Ji-hu just needs time?"

"Hm. Perhaps. I haven't seen him like this since Seo-hyun decided she was leaving Korea. Back then, we weren't really friends yet, so I didn't know how to comfort him. Now, we are and I still can't find the words to make him to tell me why he's suffering. But, when I spoke to Jun-pyo...it made sense." Jan-di looked her directly in the eye and Izzie again fought the urge to squirm.

"I know you want to leave. I hope you'll reconsider, but, more than that, I hope you don't shut out Ji-hu before you go. I don't want to see him hurt from losing another friend. I don't want to see him go back to smiling only when someone is looking. I like how he smiles now, so relaxed and happy."

Izzie swallowed hard, taking in Jan-di's words. She should have realized sooner that Jan-di would be just as devoted to Ji-hu as he was to her, even if she didn't love him the same way. She also realized that she had been awfully selfish the past week, closing him out to keep herself from hurting more. Ji-hu had been a wonderful friend to her, and while she didn't know if he had grown to care for her precisely the same way she had started to care for him, she owed it to him to at least apologize for her behavior that night.

"Do...do you know if Ji-hu is working today?" she asked, finally meeting Jan-di's eyes. She grinned and Izzie felt her mood lift a little bit more.

"He is off on Fridays. That's the day of the board meetings for the Foundation. He usually stays after to play his piano."

"Thank you, Jan-di. If you'll excuse me, I'll leave first."

"Sure. Take care, Izzie."

Izzie flagged down a waiter to pay for both of their drinks, despite Jan-di's objections, and flagged down a taxi to take her to the Foundation. She slid into the car, a strange feeling of anticipation filling her as they neared the large glass building. She paid the driver and exited quickly, sidestepping a group of workers painting outside as she made her way into the lobby. She gave the receptionist a bright smile, recognizing the woman from the day she had fainted and hoping she wouldn't expect Izzie to pass out again.

"Good afternoon, miss. Welcome back."

"Thank you. I was actually looking for Yun Ji-hu; a friend had said she thought he would be here?"

"Of course, miss. In concert hall c, just up the stairs and down the hall to your right. You'll go through a set of double doors and will find it on your left."

"Thank you so much!" She waved and gave the woman a small bow before she followed her directions. Her heels tapped noisily on the stairs and echoed in the empty halls. She passed a cluster of middle-aged men in business suits that bowed to her as she hurried along, stifling a grin as she heard them exchange some crude remarks about exactly how women were 'made in America' once she was beyond them.

She reached the door marked 'concert hall c' and took a breath before she tentatively opened the door a crack. She peeked inside, discovering all lights were off except the tall, single-bulb 'ghost' lamp that stood in the middle of the stage. Its light was enough to illuminate a stunning white grand piano that stood just off to the side on the black stage. Izzie held her breath as she watched Ji-hu play for a moment. His jacket was laying over the bench beside him, leaving him in a grey vest and light blue dress shirt with small white stripes and a white collar. His sleeves were rolled to the elbow, and Izzie leaned in the doorframe, smiling as she listened to him play. He paused for a moment at the end of the piece, and Izzie held her breath, wondering if she had been caught. She relaxed when he started playing again, her heart thrumming when she recognized the melody. She had given him a playlist of Cole Porter classics and she closed her eyes, unsurprised he had chosen 'Begin the Beguine'. She walked into the small theatre, humming along with his intro until she started to sing along with the verse as she walked toward the stage. He froze when he heard her voice, turning to watch her walk down the aisle. She stopped, giving him a shy smile.

"Don't stop now," she whispered, clasping her hands in front of her to keep them from shaking. His scrutinizing gaze made her nervous, but she fought to keep her face even. He looked at her a moment longer before he turned back to the piano and resumed his playing.

Izzie ascended the stairs to the stage, running her hand across the smooth lid of the Steinway, nestling herself in its curve as she continued to sing with him, closing her eyes and feeling her passion swell with the music. It had been ages since she had really sung, having given up her gigs in coffee shops, bars and nightclubs when she had begun to work for Jun-pyo. Though she knew her voice was slightly rusty, the edge blended with her style, and she recalled the frequent comparisons she had received to Norah Jones, Etta James and other female blues vocalists she admired.

Soon the song ended, the melody hanging in the air for a moment like a specter, and Izzie felt goosebumps raise on her arms before she turned to find Ji-hu staring at her. She smiled softly, feeling slightly self-conscious as she traced patterns on the piano lid, waiting for him to speak.

"You sing," he said finally, and the simplicity of his statement made her laugh.

"I do. Or, I guess I _did_. I don't really anymore."

"Why did you ever stop?" His look of confusion was so sincere that Izzie laughed again.

"I started working for Shinhwa Group and didn't really have time for _gigs_."

"Why didn't you tell me you sang? You said your ex-boyfriend was the musician."

"He was. Why didn't you tell me you were the one playing on the playlist you made me?" she asked, turning the tables to focus on him. He bowed his head before he looked at her again, a hint of a grin on his lips.

"_Touché_," he said before motioning for her to sit with him. She crossed to the bench, picking up his jacket and laying it across his lap as he started to play again, choosing another song from the Cole Porter collection.

She swayed with the music, at a loss for why she had ever stopped singing. For the first time in ages she remembered a part of herself that she had imprisoned, and letting that part free was powerfully therapeutic. She relaxed into the music, and she noticed Ji-hu's hands loosening as they moved across the keyboard. When he began to play 'True Love', a simple duet from _High Society_, she gave him a curious look, and was surprised when he began to sing. He paused, waiting for her to join him in the duet. She bit her lower lip, her stomach becoming tense as she began to sing the sweet, romantic ballad. Tremors ran through her as his smooth voice sailed over her rougher, lower one and she felt tears burn in her eyes as the lyrics began to feel a little too close to truth.

After the song finished they sat in silence, Ji-hu mercifully saying nothing as she wiped away the few tears that had escaped. Instead of speaking, he began to play again, this time an upbeat, double-entendre filled solo that made her laugh away her tears. For the next hour they played and sang, moving from Cole Porter to jazz standards, and even a couple Édith Piaf classics. By the end they were both laughing and making mistakes in their music. When Izzie began making up her own lyrics to talk about her lover's smelly feet and terrible body hair Ji-hu began laughing so hard he had to abandon the piano completely.

"Stop...please...no more," he choked out, though Izzie was laughing too hard herself to even think of continuing.

After a few moments their laughter subsided and they looked at each other, their smiles fading as the tension of the past week came creeping in between them.

"Ji-hu...I'm sorry. That night, I – "

"You have no reason to apologize. I apologize for invading your privacy."

"What? No, you didn't. I'm just...I'm a mess," she confessed, hanging her head and feeling tears welling again in her eyes.

"You're the best looking mess I've ever seen," he said, but when she looked at him she noticed a slight blush and he wouldn't meet her eyes. She bit her thumb, trying to hide her pleasure.

"I'm sure you say that to all the messy, 'plain American' girls," she said with a grin, nudging him with her elbow, causing him to smile again then tilt his head slightly.

"You're not wearing your glasses."

"Oh, no, I'm not. I spent most of the morning outside, so, I needed my sunglasses."

"Mm," was all he said and Izzie quietly pondered how she should take his observation. They sat together silently for a moment, before he spoke again.

"I have been thinking about the wedding. I'm wondering if perhaps a string quartet isn't the right choice."

"Oh? Um, okay, did I pick the wrong musicians, or – "

"No, not at all. But neither Jan-di or Jun-pyo really care for classical music."

"Okay. What would you suggest, then?" Izzie was curious about the sudden shift in conversation, but went along with the turn, now seriously considering his concern.

"Why not a jazz quartet?"

"Really?"

"Piano, drums, bass and saxophone?"

"Mm, trumpet, I think. Suits Jun-pyo more." She spoke automatically, her mind already creating a song list that would suit the wedding.

"We may even convince Yi-jeong to play a song for them on his saxophone, then."

"You could play piano as well. It would suit the atmosphere we're trying to create."

"That was my thought."

"I suppose you already have some musicians in mind?" she asked, giving him a sideways look.

"They've cleared their schedules, just in case."

"Oh, Ji-hu, what would I have done without you, hm?" She wrapped her arm around his without thinking, but stopped herself from resting her head on his shoulder. He seemed a little surprised by the sudden physical contact, but after a moment he relaxed.

"I'm sure you would have managed."

"Hardly." She beamed at him, and after a moment he matched her smile. Satisfied, Izzie turned away and immediately feigned a serious expression. "I would have had to worry less about my weight though. You should have never introduced me to Chef Oh's noodles. I can't go two days without them now without severe withdrawal symptoms. It's been half a week now, and I think I'm getting the shakes and it is all your fault."

"Is that a hint?" he asked with a grin and she smiled brightly.

"You're catching on. Let me buy you lunch?"

"No, I can't do that." Her face fell as he pulled his arm away, closing the cover of the keyboard, but throwing her a sly smile. "I wouldn't want Chef Oh to get the wrong idea of what kind of man I am. Letting a lady buy my lunch."

"Fair enough," she agreed with a grin, her heart stuttering as he held out his hand to help her stand. She gave him his jacket, brushing imaginary lint off the lapel after he slipped it on, unable to resist touching him. He motioned for her to lead the way out, his hand resting on the small of her back as they walked up the aisle and out into the sunlit lobby. Izzie caught the receptionist staring at them, an excited smile on her face too bright to stifle as they walked past.

"So, I'll admit, I'm not exactly dressed to go for a ride," she said over the sound of someone shouting once they stepped outside. She glanced back at him in time to catch him staring at backside, his cheeks growing red as he immediately averted his gaze.

"Enjoying the vie – aish!" she yelped as she bumped into someone and felt a thick, wet substance dump down her front.

Everything moved in slow motion for a moment. She turned to see a man in coveralls holding a paint roller and a now mostly empty tray of white paint. His face became deathly pale and his eyes wider than saucers as he looked at her, following her eyes down from her paint soaked silk blouse to her newly striped skirt. Their eyes met again, then the man noticed her companion and time flew forward. Before Izzie could breathe the man was on his knees in front of her, his forehead pressed to the sidewalk and his arms extended as he begged for mercy.

"I'm so sorry Madam! Please, I beg your forgiveness, Master! I should have never been so careless! Stupid, stupid!" Izzie panicked as the man began to bang his head on the sidewalk.

"No, sir, there's no – "

"I will go without pay! I will work to pay for what I have cost you, Madam! Here!" He sat up and lifted the tray over his head, letting the little paint that remained in the tray to fall on his balding head.

"Oh, now that's really unnecessary! Please! It was an accident. I'm fine!" Izzie tried to reassure the man as she heard a strange sound behind her. Turning as she continued her attempt to consol the now-hysterical man, Izzie found Ji-hu laughing.

Seriously laughing.

He almost doubled over when she finally fully turned to him, setting her hand on the shoulder of the man who looked at Ji-hu as if he had lost his mind. Izzie felt a twinge of indignation mix with her shock.

"Are you...laughing at me?"

"No...I'm just..._enjoying the view_," he choked out, his eyes wet with his mirth.

Izzie's eyes narrowed and she popped her hip, crossing her arms over her sticky chest as she puckered her lips in displeasure. The painter was still on his knees, astonished by the sight of Ji-hu in a giggle fit. Izzie looked down at the man and gave him a smirk as she gestured to the roller he still held in his hand.

"Excuse me, can I borrow that?" He pulled his eyes away from Ji-hu long enough to process what she asked and nod emphatically. "Thank you," she said as she took the roller, ran it through what was left in the discarded tray and walked quickly to roll it up Ji-hu's chest and face.

His eyes widened in shock and his laughter stopped as he stared at her, white paint covering his left cheek and clinging to his vest and hair. Izzie held the roller loosely in her hand, her other arm still crossed over her middle as she grinned smugly at him.

"You...you just – "

"_That's _what you get for laughing, mister," she pronounced as she watched him brush his hand over his cheek, smudging more paint than he removed. She wasn't prepared for how quickly he reached out and smeared his hand across her own cheek.

By now a crowd had begun to gather, collectively gasping with Izzie as Ji-hu marked her face. One of the other workers had pulled the painter to his feet and out of the way as they all watched the interaction of the paint-covered couple.

"Oh, you are so dead!" Izzie cried as she lunged with the roller like a sword. Ji-hu laughed and easily dodged her attack, managing to smear more paint on her opposite cheek before he armed himself with the tray.

Izzie recovered from failed lunged quickly, surprising Ji-hu as she slashed the roller through the air so that paint splattered through the air, landing in a dotted line across his face and chest. Before she could slash again, however, he grabbed her wrist and in a second she was pinned with her back to his chest, his arm around her like an iron band. The roller fell to the ground and she realized her futile wiggling to get free was very likely just transferring more paint from his chest onto the back of her blouse.

"Give up?" he asked quietly, his lips brushing her ear, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

"Like hell," she growled back, but couldn't stop herself from joining his laughter when she felt it rumble through his chest and tickle her neck.

"Then I suppose I can't let you go. Not until you surrender."

"Looks like you're going to be holding me a long time then," she purred, giving him a sultry look as she shifted against him. She felt more than heard his sharp breath and found her window of opportunity. Though she held back slightly, she drove her elbow into his solar plexus and jumped out of his reach as he deflated, doubling over as the wind rushed out of his lungs.

The crowd around them had grown to include the receptionist and several other employees from the Foundation, and all were watching with a mixture of amusement and horror on their faces. Once Ji-hu straightened they immediately scattered, some almost dashing back into the center as he leveled her with an icy glare. Izzie, however, didn't budge. Instead, she blinked innocently at him as he stalked over to her.

"You fight dirty."

"_Damn straight_," she replied, refusing to look away. Finally, the bright smile returned to his face as he shook his head.

"I think we'd better clean up before we get noodles. Come on."

He started walking toward his parking space, Izzie keeping step right beside him. She was slightly surprised to see a white mini cooper convertible parked in his spot.

"You have a car? Jun-pyo said – "

"I got over it. Mostly. I still don't _like_ to drive, but I force myself to do it every now and then so the fear doesn't build up again."

"Mm," Izzie nodded, sobering as she recalled the story Jun-pyo had told her. Losing her parents had been unbearable. When she thought of a five year-old boy escaping the accident that took his parents, surviving because they had shielded him with their bodies, her heart broke. The image was clear in her mind of the tiny Ji-hu she had seen in pictures at his grandfather's clinic, but as she pictured that boy covered in his parents blood, sobbing next to the mangled wreckage of a car as he waited for someone to come help him her stomach began to turn.

"Are you all right?" She jumped when she heard his voice and felt his hand on her arm. She shook the nightmarish images away and offered him a bright smile, hoping to assuage the concern in his eyes.

"Fine! Just lost in thought for a moment!"

"Good." He turned and started to open her door for her, then hesitated. "Wait for just a moment," he said as he turned back to her, moving to his trunk. He popped it open and pulled out an old wool blanket. He shook it a few times after shutting the trunk lid, then went back to open her door, laying the blanket over the leather passenger's seat.

"Really? You don't want a white interior as well?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm as he moved to let her sit. She was pleased that his full smile had returned when he shut her door and moved to get in the driver's seat.

She paid little attention to where he was taking her as she occupied herself with the music he had available in his car. She made him chuckle as she finally decided on a K-pop/R&B group and he laughed out loud with her failed attempts to rap along with one of the songs. Izzie gave up when she noticed they were pulling up through a gate into a driveway that led to a massive home with classic Korean architecture. Her breath caught and she wondered for a moment where he was taking her, until she saw one of his bikes parked in front.

"Is...is this your home?"

He nodded and for a moment Izzie was stunned. She was used to lavish surroundings, and had spent enough time in the enormous compound Jun-pyo called home that she expected the other F4s to have similarly spectacular residences. Still, she hadn't been prepared for the ancient beauty and pure _art_ of the Yun family's estate. She exited the car as soon as Ji-hu parked, taking in the beautiful wood columns and smooth white walls, glancing at the courtyards and gardens that surrounded the main house.

"Ji-hu...it's so beautiful," she breathed as he unlocked the front door. Again, he merely nodded as he led the way inside. She followed closely behind him, anxious to see the interior, but was shocked by the cold aura of the house. It had the same empty feeling that she hated in museums, giving her the impression that she was stepping into a mausoleum rather than a home. Indeed there were few personal effects anywhere she could see: only priceless antiques or modern decorations that looked ripped from the page of an elite home décor magazine.

"Don't you get lonely, living alone in this huge house?" she couldn't help but ask as he guided her into the kitchen. She carefully checked the back of her skirt before she felt sat on one of the barstools by the island counter.

"I'm used to it. When I was younger I used to feel uncomfortable having other people in the house. It was nice when my grandfather lived here. And Jan-di stayed with us for a little while, too."

Izzie saw the distant smile on his face and felt a twinge of jealousy. She pushed it away as she watched him move around the room, opening cabinets and retrieving ceramic dishes. She watched him, amazed by his grace, fascinated by his long, delicate fingers as they completed their tasks and prepared a steaming pot of tea. He finally placed a small cup before her, and she stared for a moment into the yellowish-green liquid.

"You know, I could never get used to the loneliness of an empty house. I _loved_ our home growing up. We had all this land in the Ohio Valley that was just gorgeous. We had a few horses, of course, and we used to ride up some of the hills and just look over the river. But after dad died it was just too big for mom and me. We found a smaller house, but once she died I couldn't even stay there."

"That's why you don't mind living in the hotel?"

"Yeah," she said with a nod, finally taking a sip of her tea. "The space feels full, and there's always activity and people around. I even like hearing people stumble down the halls, trying to shush each other on the way back from the bar." She smiled at him then and immediately felt self-conscious as he studied her over the rim of his teacup.

"What?" she asked, trying not to show her discomfort.

"Nothing. You're just...I've never met anyone quite like you, Izzie-ah."

"_My momma always said I was special_," Izzie joked, letting her natural dialect color her English. He seemed taken aback for a moment before he gave her an amused grin.

"Is that what you really sound like?"

"_Yep. Spent a good year tryin' to completely eradicate it. Still comes back, though, if I spend time back home. Or if you get me drunk enough_," she teased, toasting polishing off her tea and setting the cup down like a shot glass.

There was a warmth in his dark brown eyes that suddenly made Izzie uncomfortable and she scratched her cheek to at least alleviate the way the dried paint pulled at her skin. Small white flakes fell and more was trapped under her fingernails as she pulled them away from her face.

"We should probably get cleaned up," he said as he set down his own cup. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to follow him as he walked out of the kitchen and she felt herself blush when he turned back to give her a perplexed look. "Coming?" he asked and Izzie immediately nodded, hopping from her seat and trotting along behind him.

"Give me a moment and I'll grab you something to wear, then you can take a shower," he said, motioning for her to wait as he ducked into a room, returning after a moment with a white button-down shirt and a pair of faded blue pajama pants.

"They won't fit well, but they're the smallest I have," he explained as he then ushered her into a bathroom with a large shower cubicle. Several showerheads hung from the ceiling, all pointed in different directions and Izzie waited while Ji-hu turned the various nozzles so that the water began to spray and the room filled with steam.

"Please use anything you need. I'll be just down the hall."

"Thank you," she smiled, feeling slightly awkward as the air became thick with humidity and her mind flashed insistently back to the image of him taking off his shirt in her hotel's bathroom.

"Then..." he trailed off, staring at her for a long moment before he nodded and quickly left the room, shutting the door securely behind him. She stood for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before she set about taking off her soiled clothing, sighing when she realized the paint had soaked through her blouse to stain her bra as well. She tossed the now cracking silk shirt and the ruined skirt into the trash with a small stab of regret before she laid her undergarments on the pile of fresh clothes and stepped into the shower.

She gasped as the jets of hot water hit her body from every angle, blasting the tension from her neck and shoulders while cooler water poured from the large shower head directly above her, refreshing and soothing the steady pounding of the other nozzles. She stood for a moment, just soaking in the steam and water until she found a soft cloth and a body wash that made the bathroom suddenly smell of vanilla and oranges. Instantly her skin felt smoother, and Izzie made a mental note to order some for herself the next time she was out.

She took her time cleaning her hair and scrubbing the makeup from her face. The other bath products were all French imports she noticed, and she allowed herself to relish the luxurious scents and moisturizers. With a bit of reluctance she eventually turned off the water, wrapping herself in a large, fluffy towel as she exited the shower. She dried her skin, pink from the water's heat, and squeezed as much wetness from her hair as possible before she slipped back into her underwear.

The shirt he had given her was long enough that it reached half way to her knees so she settled on wearing it alone, abandoning the pajama pants that she knew would be far too long for her frame. Izzie rubbed the sleeve of the shirt against her cheek, then hugged herself, delighting in the soft feel of the fabric against her skin. She popped the collar and held it to her nose, closing her eyes to imagine for a moment that she could smell his scent on the shirt, instead of just the scent of his detergent. Her heart tripped and skin tingled as she imagined wearing his shirt under different circumstances, her breathing becoming slightly ragged as she imagined the events leading up to her being naked and in need of his clothing so that she could fix him breakfast before his shift at the hospital. Shaking her head, Izzie pushed the familiar fantasy away, turning her attention instead to hair.

Once her hair was no longer dripping, she opened the bathroom door and took only a couple of steps before crashing into Ji-hu. He managed to catch her before she tripped over his feet, but pulled her to his chest as he turned his back to the wall for support. Izzie gasped as she grabbed his shirt, a cotton long-sleeved tee with a loose, low neckline and realized she was straddling his thigh, their faces only inches apart. His eyes were wide behind clumps of damp hair, and she felt one of his hands slide down to the small of her back, pulling her body even tighter to his. Her thigh shifted, brushing the outside of his as the hand that wasn't on her back moved up to her neck, his fingers weaving into her wet hair as his head lowered to hers. Izzie's heart was pounding and her mouth went dry as she closed her eyes and tilted her head. She felt his breath on her skin just before his lips brushed hers, igniting a fire deep in her center as she waited to taste him.

Suddenly a knock sounded from the door and they instantly moved apart, Izzie pressing her back to the wall opposite him. They stared at each other for a moment, their breaths coming in ragged gasps and Izzie was sure her cheeks were even more flushed than his.

"You...should probably get that," she finally choked out as the knock sounded again.

"Right. Right, yes." He started to cross to the door and Izzie turned, setting her palms on the wall and resting her forehead on the cool surface.

"Um, if you want to dry your hair, there should be a drier under the sink."

She jumped at his voice, then smiled and nodded before bee lining back into the bathroom. She shut the door firmly, pressing her back to it as she tried to wrangle her heart back into a normal rhythm.

He was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and a groan escaped her lips as she remembered the feel of his hands on her body, the beating of his own heart under her hand. Judging from the way he had held her, they were going to do a lot more than kiss if that knock had never happened.

_I don't know who the hell that was, but there is a special place in hell for you,_ she thought miserably as she searched under the sink for the promised blow drier. She quickly flipped it on and, using her fingers for a brush, dried her hair until it was just slightly damp. She practically tossed the drier under the sink again as she checked her appearance in the mirror, wished desperately for a tube of mascara, then darted out of the bathroom. She composed herself for a moment in the hall before slinking toward the door, content when she found Ji-hu alone, seated at the dining table.

"Hey," she said, her smile fading as she drew closer and saw the dark scowl on his face. "Who was it?" she asked, sinking into one of the chairs next to him, instantly concerned.

"Jan-di."

"Oh. What...what did she want?" Izzie's stomach dropped at the other woman's name and she shifted in her seat, self-consciously pulling down the hem of her shirt.

"For me to go to Paris."

"For...what?" she sputtered, unsure she understood what he had said.

"Apparently, Jan-di's only female cousin just broke her leg in a boating accident and won't be able to be in the wedding. She needs another bridesmaid."

"You don't mean..."

"I promised her I would ask Min Seo-hyun. I will keep my promise."

"Ji-hu, let me go. I can handle – "

"You need to be here. You have a lot of loose ends to tie up, I'm sure, since you'll be leaving in just a few weeks." He rose from the table, and Izzie had to fight the urge to scream in frustration.

Whatever moment had almost passed between them was clearly not going to happen again. Though his tone was perfectly polite, Izzie understood quite clearly that it was time for her to leave. She gathered her things while he went to retrieve his glasses, blushing slightly when he silently offered her a belt upon his return. She looped it around her waist and, when she slipped on her heels, the shirt suddenly looked less conspicuous. She followed him to his car and they road to her hotel in silence.

_Maybe he's more like Jun-pyo than you thought_, she mentally grumbled as she considered his sudden shift in mood towards her. He barely smiled when she exited the car, thanking him just before he drove off again.

She watched his car blend into traffic, determination steeling her back, making her raise her chin almost defiantly.

_Mark my words, Ji-hu. Before I leave, I'm going to figure out how to read your mind._

She turned on her heel and marched into the hotel, her phone in hand as she began to rearrange her schedule.

**A/N: In case you were wondering - yes, the album they were listening to in Ji-hu's car was SS501. I couldn't resist!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ji-hu felt the anxiety grip him the minute he stepped out of his hotel, the streets of Paris bustling around him. He took a deep breath and set off towards her favorite café, knowing there was no place else she would be spending a sunny Sunday afternoon. His heart was pounding in his throat and he wondered if Seo-hyun would take pity on him if he was in the grips of a panic attack when he approached her. He buried his hands into his pockets, suddenly wishing he hadn't brushed Izzie off when she had offered to come with him.

_You can't rely on her – she's leaving_, he reminded himself, his heart dropping as he replayed the moment she had made the announcement. The week following had been miserable, but he had almost become used to it when she had appeared again, sauntering through his theatre with a voice like the rich, smoky/sweet drink she liked. He didn't know if she had seen his hands shake on the piano keys when she had sat next to him, or if she realized how desperately he had wanted to kiss her then and beg her not to leave.

That feeling only intensified when he had tried to protect her from the awful sight of the cellist's suicide, and when he took her to his home and coaxed her back to herself. Then she had come out of that bathroom, dressed only in his shirt with her hair wet and messy and he had frozen, paralyzed until she had bumped into him. He still felt his blood warm as he remembered the way she had pressed into him, her bare thigh brushing his as she had closed her eyes and lifted her head, obviously inviting him to do exactly what he had wanted. He had almost ignored the door, and there were moments over the past couple days he wishes he had done just that. However, as he hurried through Paris he silently thanked Jan-di for her timing. Had he kissed Izzie, he knew he would have been lost, and would never be able to let her go.

And he had to let her go.

Ji-hu took a deep breath as he stood across from the café, the misery he felt over Izzie subsiding slightly as his anxiety peaked. As expected, Seo-hyun sat alone at a table, sipping cappuccino and reading a novel. For a moment Ji-hu felt rooted to his spot, too terrified to move closer, for fear she would see him. Then he remembered the look of shame on Jan-di's face as she admitted she didn't have another bridesmaid and begged him to find any other girl but Seo-hyun to fill in. Despite her objections, however, Ji-hu knew how much it would mean to Jan-di to have her Seo-hyun-eonnie by her side. The thought was enough to mobilize Ji-hu, and with a sigh he crossed the street, walking purposefully up to her table.

"Good afternoon, Seo-hyun."

She froze at his voice, then slowly lowered her book and took off her sunglasses, turning to look up at him. Ji-hu shifted awkwardly as a thousand different emotions flittered across her flawless face until, finally, she stood before him and slapped him hard across his cheek. Ji-hu cringed, but silently accepted his punishment, turning back to her just in time to see tears shining in her eyes before she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"How dare you. Do you know how you worried me? How scared I was that something had happened to you until I got Yi-jeong's text that you were safe back in Seoul?"

"I'm sorry, Seo-hyun."

"I am too," she said pulling away so that she could look at him. "After you had gone, I suddenly realized how you must have felt when I said I was leaving, without any other warning. How you all must have felt. I was so selfish. I couldn't even appreciate you when I had you here with me."

Standing next to her again, Ji-hu expected to feel something of his old desires and admiration stir again, but he merely felt the old ache of a precious friend one had gone too long without seeing. He smiled then, brushing a tear from her cheek as she chuckled.

"Oh, aren't we causing a scene? Have a seat, please."

Ji-hu waited until she had sat before he pulled out a chair for himself, a waiter instantly appearing to take his order. Ji-hu requested another cappuccino and smiled when he realized Seo-hyun was staring at him.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry, it's just...look at you. Smiling and laughing. That Jan-di has been good for you."

"Mm. She has," Ji-hu agreed, his smile dimming slightly.

"I knew she would. The first time I saw you look at her, I just knew you were meant to be. It broke my heart, but I knew you would realize it eventually as well. I cried when you left, but at the same time I felt such joy for you, knowing you had found your soulmate."

The server arrived with his drink and Ji-hu wondered for a moment how to approach the reason for his trip. He took a sip of his coffee and decided a direct approach would be best.

"Jan-di is the reason I came. She would be very honored if her Seo-hyun-eonnie would be a bridesmaid in her wedding."

Seo-hyun gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth as tears once again filled her eyes. She dropped her hands to grab his arm, her smile beatific.

"Oh, Ji-hu! Of course I'd be honored to be in your wedding! I can't imagine what took you so many years, but I would be delighted!"

"Seo-hyun, that's not exactly...I'm not marrying Jan-di."

"This is simply so exciting, I cannot – I...I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"Jan-di is marrying Gu Jun-pyo."

"J...Jun-pyo?" her smile disappeared as she sank back in her seat. "I don't understand. She's your soulmate."

"Mm. She is. She always will be. But she is not in love with me. She loves Gu Jun-pyo."

They sat in silence for a moment, Ji-hu sipping his coffee for want of anything better to do. The color had drained from her face and Seo-hyun seemed to struggle with his news.

"How could this happen?" she finally asked. "When I was leaving, that girl begged me to consider your feelings. It was so obvious she loved you."

"That may have been true. But I went off to Paris and by the time I returned, she had let me go. No matter what happened after that, nothing could displace the love she felt for him. And now they're finally getting married."

He smiled as he thought back through all of the trials and challenges his two best friends had faced, and the way they had stubbornly refused to give in, both even risking their lives in order for them to live happily ever after. Now that he looked back, he was proud of them for the way they kept fighting, and thankful that they would soon make their vows to love each other always and forever.

"Well, this is not what I expected. All this time I took comfort knowing that my Ji-hu was happy – that he had found his partner. What am I to do now?"

Ji-hu looked back to Seo-hyun, surprised to find her looking desolately into her drink. He reached out his hand, covering hers and forcing her to meet her eyes.

"I am happy, Seo-hyun. My best friend is marrying the only girl he could ever love. And the Jan-di is marrying the man that she loves so fiercely she is willing to die for him just to remember who she is."

"What?"

"It's a long story," he responded with a chuckle, knowing he would need until the wedding to explain all the circumstances surrounding Jan-di and Jun-pyo's romance. "No matter the groom, though, please, say you'll stand by Jan-di? Remember, Jun-pyo is your friend, too."

She looked like she wanted to refuse, her eyes sad and her mouth set in a firm line, but he shoulders collapsed and she finally nodded.

"I'll do it. I am not sure I can support it, but I will do it for you, Yun Ji-hu."

"Thank you, Seo-hyun." Ji-hu sat back in his seat, releasing her hand and picking up his cappuccino.

"Then tell me, Ji-hu, if your soulmate is marrying another man, how is it that you are smiling?"

"My friends happiness and your company is not reason enough to smile?" he evaded, though he knew Seo-hyun would never let the matter go.

"Not for you. It was once a Herculean feat to make you smirk, and now your happiness shows so easily. There's something behind that."

"Perhaps."

"Ah, there's some_one_ behind it then!" Her eyes brightened and Ji-hu regretted piquing her curiosity. "Ji-hu! You should have said something earlier! I would have saved me the trouble of worrying for you!"

"I don't exactly...it's complicated," he finally admitted, his smile faltering. Despite the years that had passed, he couldn't be anything but honest with Seo-hyun, and in truth, he yearned to talk to someone about the emotional turbulence he'd been suffering.

"Tell your nuna, who is she?"

"Her name is Izzie Wagner."

"Izzie Wagner? She's American?"

"Yes. She's Jun-pyo's personal assistant." The title seemed unreasonable simple to explain who Izzie was. She was a musical connoisseur with an unbelievable voice. She was a daredevil that had an incredible sense of style. She was brilliant, ambitious and so complex he knew he could spend his lifetime studying her and she would still find ways to surprise him.

"You don't have to tell me more. Your face says it all," Seo-hyun said with a soft smile as she sipped her coffee. "She must be very special."

"She is. Very special," he agreed as his smile failed.

"Then...why are you frowning?"

"After the wedding...Izzie is going back to the US."

"Why? Does she not have a proper visa?" Seo-hyun's tone sharpened and Ji-hu recognized her switching into her attorney mode.

"No, no her paperwork is fine. She...she started to work for Jun-pyo because she was in love with him. Though he didn't realize it, Jun-pyo took advantage of her devotion and mistreated her severely. So...she's leaving."

"I see. So, is she still in love with Jun-pyo?"

Ji-hu remembered their almost kiss, the way she had smiled at him and taken his arm when they sat at his piano, and the way her eyes had lit up when she had first seen him at the Woo Song Museum. He also remembered the look of disgust on her face when she had so coldly told Jun-pyo that she had loved him and regretted following him for years.

"No, I don't believe she is."

"Good. Then convince her to stay."

"I'm...I'm not sure I can," he confessed. "She seems determined to go."

"Then you need to be more determined for her not to."

"Seo-hyun – "

"Listen, Ji-hu. You already know that running off after your love doesn't work. By that point, it's too late. She's made up her mind. You need to convince her now, before she's made all of her plans, that she belongs with you."

Ji-hu watched the people passing them, weighing Seo-hyun's words. He agreed that it would be foolish to run after Izzie, knowing how disastrous his first attempt had been. His mind squabbled with the advice, trying to find all of the faults with any plan he started to form, but for the first time in a week, his heart felt hopeful.

"What of your happiness? How are you?" he finally asked, wanting to change the subject, even though his mind and heart continued to war about what his next step should be with Izzie.

"My life has been...fulfilling." A private smile turned her lips and Ji-hu instantly focused on her.

"Tell me everything."

"Ji-hu...it's been what? Six years? Seven? You would need to be here all day to hear everything." She laughed and Ji-hu sat back in his seat, holding his mug.

"So be it then."

They sat chatting and laughing for hours, quickly falling back into a comfortable rapport that is never lost to such old, close friends. Finally, Seo-hyun had to excuse herself to get ready for a dinner and Ji-hu felt a stab of disappointment that she was leaving. He paid for their drinks and hailed her a taxi, smiling brightly, even though his mind was once again churning with indecision on what to do about Izzie.

"I am so happy you came, Ji-hu. And knowing that I'll see you again in a week brings me more joy than you know."

"I'm happy to see you too, nuna." Tears filled her eyes at the old endearment, and she pressed her palm to his cheek, smiling at him very much like an older sister.

"Hm. Remember what I said, Ji-hu. Convince her to stay now."

He opened the door and helped her to sit, but paused before he shut the door.

"Will you answer something honestly?"

"Of course," she said immediately, her look showing she was almost offended he would ask.

"If I had come to you and truly begged you to stay, before your birthday party or after...would it have mattered? Would you still have left?"

She considered what he said, a sad smile on her lips, as if she was anticipating the question.

"Probably. But I always knew your happiness was not linked to mine, Ji-hu. I had hoped it was...I had wanted it to be so badly. The night at that party I was almost convinced...but deep in my heart I just knew." Ji-hu hang his head for a moment until he heard her continue. "She is different, Ji-hu. Perhaps I was wrong about Geum Jan-di. Maybe this Izzie Wagner is the woman who will depend on your happiness. Regardless of if she is or isn't, you must do your best to find out, hm?"

"Thank you," was all he could think to say as she gave him a smile and he closed her door. She immediately rolled down her window and Ji-hu waited for her to speak.

"Ji-hu? Good luck." She waved and the taxi roared off, barely missing several pedestrians as it slid into the stream of traffic.

Ji-hu walked slowly back to his hotel, his calm expression a mask concealing a brutal battle raging inside him. Could Izzie possibly care about him enough after just a couple of months that she would be willing to stay just for him? When she knew of his vow of devotion to Jan-di, how could she possibly believe that he loved her as truly as he did? How did he convince her that she had carved out a space in his heart and relegated Jan-di to a place that was reserved for the deepest, closest friends? He barely understood his feelings himself, how could he possibly hope to communicate them to Izzie in such a way that she would want to stay with him?

"Ji-hu!" He startled, looking up at the sound of his name. There, standing in front of his hotel, suitcase in hand, stood Izzie. She smiled at him, and instantly Ji-hu's mind cleared and feelings calmed. It only took three steps to reach her, pull her into his arms and press his lips to hers. The moment he held her he knew that he could never find words that would convey all of his feelings for her, but hoped she could understand the way she made his heart soar and blood burn. When she gasped he seized the opportunity, deepening the kiss as he memorized her taste. After only a moment's hesitation he felt her hands clutch the front of his shirt, one of her hands eventually slipping around his middle to hold him tighter. When he thought his lungs would burst Ji-hu pulled away, cupping her face and searching her eyes. After a moment of haziness she seemed to focus on him, then a bright smile spread over her swollen lips and reddened her already flushed cheeks.

"Mm..._bonjour_," she whispered, causing him to chuckle as he rested his forehead against hers, caressing her cheek with his thumb. He cleared his throat and started to pull away, but she grabbed his jacket and pulled him closer.

"Oh, don't stop there," she murmured before pulling him into another kiss. This time she took the initiative to immediately deepen the kiss, her hands sliding down his abdomen as she began kissing a trail to his ear, nibbling on the lobe as she whispered: "I think you should take me inside now."

Ji-hu nodded and quickly scooped to pick up her bag, gathered her under his arm and guided her into the hotel.

**A/N: ...and we all know what happens next! If you want the nitty gritty, you can skip to the very last "chapter" title _Salle 501_. Honestly, I preferred keeping it separate from the story because I didn't feel it was necessary to the story and would hinder my pacing. I still had to write it though ^_~. Of course, I would love to know your thoughts on the matter, dear readers (*cough* review *cough*).**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Izzie felt sun shining on her face as she slowly opened her eyes. She stretched and blinked, trying to remember where she was.

"Good morning," his voice made her heart flutter and with a smile she remembered precisely where she was. She rolled toward the open sliding glass door, leading to the balcony where she found him dressed, sitting in a chair reading a paper and sipping coffee. The bright sun cast a glow around him and for a moment Izzie just stared, amazed by how beautiful he looked.

"Good morning," she finally purred, sitting up with the sheets clutched to her chest, suddenly feeling self-conscious as she ran her hand over her hair.

"Would you like breakfast? Or is that the meal you're skipping today?"

"In Paris? Are you crazy? I haven't had a decent pastry in ages!" She started to get up but Ji-hu set aside his paper and stood, instantly by her side and placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll order it." He smiled at her, and Izzie felt a surge of butterflies dancing around her stomach. He squeezed her shoulder lightly before he stepped away and Izzie suddenly forgot why she wanted breakfast so badly.

She shook her head and glanced around, searching for her clothes, blushing as she thought about how they were tossed aside the previous evening. Fabric caught her eye, and she scooted to the end of the bed, giggling when she discovered a familiar button-down shirt folded neatly along with a pair of her panties that were more lace than anything else.

_Clearly someone's been snooping in my luggage_, she thought as she started to dress, watching him pace on the balcony wondering exactly how much pastry he was ordering from room service. She nibbled her thumb a moment before crossing to the sliding glass door and, when his back was to her, quietly let herself out. She felt him tense when she wrapped her arms around his middle, but heard him sigh as she nestled into his back.

It had been years since Izzie had been in Paris, but she still felt a sense of homecoming as she looked over the city. He set the phone down on the café table and turned in her arms, stroking her hair and back.

"_Bon matin_," she murmured before he kissed her lightly.

"It's almost afternoon, you know." He found the spot below her ear that made her toes curl, and his words took a moment to register as his teeth scraped the skin of her neck.

"Af...afternoon? Wait, what? What time is it?" She pushed him away and he blinked a moment before answering her, his smile fading.

"It's eleven thirty."

"Eleven..._oh shit_! I've haven't checked my phone in...oh where is it?" She dashed back into the room, searching for her purse, triumphantly pulling out the smart phone and dropping her bag on the desk. She turned it back on, tapping her foot as she waited for it to retrieve her messages. She ignored the texts and emails, going straight into her voicemail, grabbing the hotel's pen and notepad to prepare to take notes. She copied the date and time given by the automated voice, then her pen stopped as she heard Ga-eul's panicked voice. She immediately replayed the message, making certain she had heard everything correctly before she disconnected, tossing the phone back in her bag as she dove for her suitcase. Her heart was pounding and her stomach had descended to somewhere near her feet.

"Izzie? Is everything – "

"We have to get back to Seoul. Right now." She unzipped the bag, pulling out the first item of clothing her hand met then snatching her toiletries and heading toward the bathroom. She collided directly with Ji-hu, who grabbed her arms and forced her to focus on him. She felt herself shaking and registered the concern in his eyes as she tried to voice one of the thoughts racing through her mind.

"What's going on?"

"Ga-eul called. Jun-pyo and Jan-di...they're missing. They were supposed to have dinner last night with Ga-eul and Yi-jeong and never showed and now no one can find them." Her stomach churned as she repeated the words, her fear evident in her trembling voice.

Ji-hu released her and she disappeared into the bathroom, her hands shaking as she turned on the shower. She hurried through her normal routine, flying out of the bathroom dressed and ready, twisting her wet hair into a bun. She stopped when she saw Ji-hu was dressed, jacket on, their luggage sitting next to him. He held out a small paper sack and cup of coffee.

"Our flight leaves in an hour. The taxi is waiting."

"What's this?" she asked, taking the bag and popping the plastic lid on the coffee.

"Well...you wanted pastry."

Izzie felt her heart melt and she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you, Ji-hu," she said, her hand resting on the lapel of his jacket.

"We should go." He gestured to the door and Izzie nodded, sipping her espresso as she led the way out of the room, leaving him to his own thoughts as she became absorbed in her own. He was worried, she knew, and was certain his mind was running through all of the possibilities of where Jun-pyo and Jan-di could be. She had checked Jun-pyo's personal and business accounts without finding any clues from his recent transactions. By the time she reached the airport she had finally spoken to the manager of Shinhwa's charter company and ascertained that one of their jets had been taken out on Jun-pyo's orders, but he couldn't give her a flight plan or destination.

"I wouldn't worry. Gu Jun-pyo probably decided to take a weekend trip – " Ji-hu began, but Izzie immediately cut him off.

"The week of the wedding? Why would he pick _now_ to...why would I ask? He's Jun-pyo...he'll do as he pleases."

A pleasant woman's voice announced that their flight was boarding, interrupting Izzie's dark thoughts. She brushed the remaining flakes from her _pain au chocolat_ from her skirt and led the way to the gate, handing over her boarding pass with a smile she didn't truly feel. Irritation was beginning to replace panic as she walked through a jetway less than 24 hours after she had arrived in Paris. A quick exchange with Woo-bin had been enough to establish that nothing criminal had occurred with Jun-pyo and Jan-di's disappearance, though he was not able to uncover anything more than that, either. She checked her phone once more, adjusting her settings so that anyone would contact her would receive a message providing her travel itinerary, before she turned it off and tossed it in her bag. She settled into her seat and turned to Ji-hu, but he had already pulled the brim of his hat over his eyes and looked to be dozing with his head next to the window. Izzie hesitated for a moment before deciding to leave him alone.

She watched him, however, replaying the past eighteen hours in her mind. It had only taken an hour after Ji-hu left for Izzie to decide she wouldn't accomplish anything by staying in Seoul. Her mind had been fixated, unable to move from worrying over his travels, how he would face Seo-hyun after such a long time and, mostly, whether Jun-pyo was right and old feelings would be rekindled when Ji-hu saw his first love again. She had spent the next eleven hours pacing the aisle of first class anxiously trying to decide what she would say to him when she finally arrived.

When she had pulled her suitcase from the taxi she was no closer to a plan, but then she had seen him, lost in thought and she had called his name before she realized what she was doing. When he strode toward her all thoughts fled from her mind and when he started kissing her she was sure she would never think again. As soon as he pulled away her mind started working again, and she spent the next hours oscillating between exhilarating clarity and blissful haziness.

Her irritation flared as she realized that, once again, Jun-pyo's undoubtedly selfish actions were disrupting her life. Her leg bounced and her thumbnail found its way between her teeth as she thought over all the things she still needed to tell Ji-hu, the questions she desperately wanted to ask him. Her breath caught when she suddenly felt a hand on her knee, stopping it from moving. She looked over and found Ji-hu looking at her, a soft smile on his lips.

"The plane shouldn't experience turbulence before take off."

Izzie smiled apologetically, dropping her hand to grip the edge of the armrest. His hand moved off her knee, but she was surprised when it closed over hers, squeezing it gently.

"Ji-hu – "

"Relax...or I'm giving you a sedative," he threatened lightly and Izzie couldn't help but chuckle.

"You can be awfully demanding, you know that?"

"Are you talking back to your doctor?" He raised his eyebrows and Izzie rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine." She settled into her seat, resting her head against the padded cubicle at the top of her seat, hiding her smile as she relished in the feel of his thumb brushing back and forth over her knuckles. After a few moments she felt her eyelids grow heavy and before she could put up a fight even the feel of his hand on hers faded from her consciousness.

Izzie felt more alert and collected than she had in a week as she stepped back onto Korean soil, squinting against the bright morning sun as she pulled her phone from her bag, waiting impatiently for it to retrieve her messages. She glanced at Ji-hu, who was already on his phone in a conversation with, she assumed, one of the F4. She had just begun to scan through her texts when Ji-hu suddenly stopped.

"What!?"

She immediately turned, her stomach tensing as she watched him close his eyes and set his jaw in frustration.

"I understand. Later." He returned his phone to his pocket and wiped his hand over his mouth.

"What? What's going on?" she asked, trying to suppress her impatience.

"Jun-pyo and Jan-di are fine. They arrived at the Gu home an hour ago."

"Okay, that's good news."

"Mm."

"But your face tells me you didn't get good news." She set her hand on her hip, waiting for his answer as he sighed, looking out the airport window.

"They've eloped."

Izzie felt like she had stepped back onto one of the moving sidewalks.

"They...did..._what_?!"

Before he could respond she had turned and was flagging down a taxi. She paid no heed to whether Ji-hu was following her or not and the tone she used when she gave the driver Jun-pyo's address made it clear to all she wasn't interested in any conversation.

By the time they had reached their destination she was fuming, and marched past all staff as she walked through the door to the mansion, making her way directly to Jun-pyo's private suite. She was aware that Ji-hu followed her, but brushed off the butler that feebly tried to stop her as she burst through the ornate wood doors. Jun-pyo grinned from his desk, swiveling his seat as the group stepped into his private quarters.

"Miss, please, you can't just – "

"Oh, _Bear_, Yun Ji-hu, come to give your congratulations?"

"Master Jun-pyo, I apologize, I wasn't –"

"What the hell do you mean you you've eloped?!" Izzie exploded, crossing her arms over her chest and pinning Jun-pyo with a glare. The tall man had the decency to loose his grin as he motioned for the butler to leave.

"Jan-di and I decided – "

"_Cut the crap_ – Jan-di had nothing to do with this! What were you thinking?" Izzie set her hands on the edge of his desk leveling her glare so that he shifted in his seat.

"I was thinking you'd be relieved!" his voice rose to match hers and he stood, matching her pose on the opposite side of the mahogany desk. "After all, the standard is for just a two-week notice to be given to an employer. I decided it was selfish of me to keep you longer than that, when you made it abundantly clear you wanted out, so I decided we would forgo the wedding and just elope."

"Seriously?! After we've done everything? After we fly half-way around the world just to track down a bridesmaid?"

"Yes, and how was your trip to France, Ji-hu? Did you have a touching reunion with Seo-hyun-eonnie?" Rage boiled in Izzie, making her speechless for a moment as Jun-pyo straightened, the smug smile returning to his face as he spoke with Ji-hu. "That reminds me, Jan-di did want to apologize to you, personally. She's down in the kitchen, if you would like to go speak to her."

"I'm not – "

"Go," Izzie ordered, finally breaking her eye contact with Jun-pyo to look over her shoulder at Ji-hu. She softened just a touch as she continued to speak to him. "I'm sure Jan-di is feeling terrible. Go talk to her, please."

Ji-hu hesitated then gave a slight nod, casting a dark look at Jun-pyo before he left the room, closing the door behind him. Immediately the smile disappeared from Jun-pyo's face and he collapsed back into his chair. Izzie noticed for the first time the dark circles under his eyes, and her fury was undercut by concern. Jun-pyo pinched the bridge of his nose and Izzie perched on the arm of the chair positioned across from Jun-pyo's desk, her anger fading as she studied him.

"What are you thinking, JP? Are you...are you punishing me?"

"Punishing...you think I would punish you?" He seemed genuinely dumbfounded and Izzie's frustration mounted again.

"Well, how else would you explain it? After everything we've done to give you the perfect wedding, you just decide to run off? You have your whims, but really? Why would you do this other than to throw everything in my face?"

"Because I thought it was what you wanted."

He was so quiet that Izzie doubted for a moment that she had heard him. She looked up at him, unnerved when she found he was watching her with a sadness that took her breath.

"Jun-pyo – "

"You made it clear you wanted to leave. I thought it was selfish to keep you here longer, just for my wedding. So...you can go. The jet is ready whenever you would like to use it. Your letter of reference is in your hotel suite." The words seemed to be forced out of him, and he refused to make eye contact with her.

"JP, please – "

"I also took the liberty to reach out to Amanda Beckett."

"Mandy?"

"I remembered she was the one who offered you the job at the U.N. and I recommended she find another position for you."

"I don't...I don't understand." Izzie felt her throat tighten when Jun-pyo turned to her and she saw the tears standing in his eyes. After a moment he cleared his throat and looked away, staring blankly ahead as he spoke.

"You've left me with a lot of work, _Bear_, trying to find a suitable replacement for you. Please...once you leave I will be able to focus on finding someone to fill your vacancy."

Izzie's eyes burned, but she eventually nodded and slowly rose from her chair. She took a few steps toward the door, her stomach churning as she fought back her tears.

She was done. He really was letting her go and she was now free to move on with her life. Away from Jun-pyo. Away from devoting her life to making certain someone else's ran smoothly. Away from living in hotel rooms and jumping on a jet at a moment's notice. She was free.

Yet, her footsteps faltered and she paused. She didn't feel free. In fact, she felt like the walls were suddenly pressing in on her, trapping and suffocating her. Izzie laid her hand on her chest, reminding herself that her heart was still beating and her lungs were still steadily expanding and contracting. Her mind raced as she realized this was her last chance to speak to the man she had been next to for five years. Realizing she had nothing left to lose, Izzie turned back to her best friend and former love.

"Jun-pyo, about everything else I said...I – that is, I should probably...you know..." she trailed off, her face burning as she desperately tried to wrangle her swarming thoughts into some kind of order. Jun-pyo looked at her with a small smirk before his face sobered.

"There's no need to discuss it. I will simply pretend I don't know what you're talking about."

Izzie almost wanted to thank him for what she recognized as his way of sparing her pride. She nodded, but couldn't convince her feet to move. Something still nagged at her, and she finally felt her thoughts organize into a question.

"Are you and Jan-di happy?"

"What?" His brow furrowed and he seemed surprised by her inquiry.

"With the elopement. Cancelling your wedding. Are you both happy about that?"

"Well we – "

"Because I know you, JP. I know that you love pomp and circumstance. You like over-the-top gestures and turn the smallest things into huge productions."

He cleared his throat, squirmed in his seat and Izzie knew she was regaining her wits as she stepped forward, continuing.

"And Jan-di, she may not feel comfortable being the center of attention, but she is just like every girl that dreams of her big, romantic wedding. She tries to hide it, but it's written all over her face."

"What are you – " Jun-pyo started to speak, but Izzie cut him off, finally arriving back at his desk.

"Jun-pyo, I was with Jan-di for her final dress fitting. I saw her step out of the dressing room and I watched her face as she saw herself in the mirror with that beautiful white wedding gown. She was...angelic. Radiant. And all I could think was how I couldn't wait to watch your reaction as she walked down the aisle. And do you know what Jan-di admitted to me afterward?" He shook his head, his eyes a touch brighter than normal as she continued. "She said 'for once, I felt like a girl who deserved to marry Gu Jun-pyo of Shinhwa Group'."

He looked away and Izzie knew it was her moment to go in for the kill.

"Jun-pyo, I appreciate what you have done, allowing me to leave. However, I promised that I would stay until your wedding was over. Please, allow me to do this final duty for you and Jan-di. Let me give you both the perfect wedding I promised. Then...then I will leave and you'll never have to worry about me again. Unless you ever have business with the U.N. of course." She managed to keep her voice even until the very end, doing her best to keep the tears she held back from choking her. She reminded herself to maintain her even breathing as she waited for his response.

"Is that...is that what you want?"

"Yes, it is," she answered, her voice barely wavering. She heard a noise and turned, finding Jan-di standing in the doorway looking back at the retreating figure of Ji-hu.

"No," she whispered, her calm façade instantly cracking as she felt a surge of panic. Izzie rushed toward the door, deaf to Jun-pyo yelling her name. Jan-di stepped out of her way as she called for Ji-hu, sprinting down the hall as fast as her pencil skirt would allow. He was only a few feet away but he ignored her completely, not hesitating a moment as he walked down the stairs and out of the house.

By the time Izzie reached the bottom of the stairs the tears she had been fighting had overwhelmed her defenses, falling steadily and silently down her cheeks as she sank to the bottom step, her eyes fixed on the door Ji-hu had just exited. A hand brushed her shoulder, but Izzie didn't look to see who sat beside her as her breath came in short gasps.

"I'm sorry, Izzie-ah," Jan-di whispered.

"He doesn't understand, does he? How I feel about him?" she asked, finally turning to Jan-di, not bothering to hide her tears. The other woman's smiled at her sympathetically before shaking her head. "And now I'm just like everyone else that has abandoned him. Another woman leaving him alone. Tell me, Jan-di, how many times do you think he'll let his heart get hurt before he gives up completely?" Izzie watched as Jan-di's eyes fill with tears.

"I...I don't know." Izzie nodded, then finally crumpled. Izzie felt Jan-di place her arm around her for support as all the hope drained from her body, one tear at a time, until she was empty, shaking and sniffling.

"Don't worry, Izzie-ah. I'll think of something," Jan-di tried to reassure her, but Izzie merely shook her head. Jan-di pulled away then, forcing Izzie to look at her as her face grew mock serious. "Hey! They don't call me fearsome Jan-di for nothing, huh? Trust me, okay? Fighting!"

Izzie failed to muster a smile as she looked at the other woman's upraised fists. Instead she wiped the tears from her eyes as her gaze returned to the firmly closed door.

_ Only a fool would let his heart be broken three times, Jan-di. And you and I both no: Ji-hu is not a fool_.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Ji-hu felt like a fool.

He buried his face in his hands in the backseat of one of Jun-pyo's cars as the driver pulled away from the mansion. Izzie's voice calling his name still echoed in his mind as he fought back bitter tears.

She was still leaving.

Even after what had happened in Paris she was still planning to leave him behind and return to New York.

He felt his stomach roll and thought for a moment he was going to be sick as the emotional roller coaster he had been trapped on for the past 48 hours began yet another loop around its vicious track. He had been just as panicked as Izzie when she had told him about Jun-pyo and Jan-di's disappearance, but had hidden his own feelings to help Izzie focus and overcome her own. He had clutched her hand almost the entire flight, the feel of her skin the only thing that reassured him that everything would be all right. All of his anxiety had then eased when he reached Woo-bin and realized that his friends were fine, but immediately his ire had risen when he discovered the reason for their disappearance.

Rage swelled in his chest as he thought back to Jun-pyo's cool demeanor, a stark contrast to the doleful bride he had found in Jun-pyo's kitchen. Jan-di had looked at him so sadly when he walked into the kitchen, her typically bright eyes dimmed.

"Seonbae," she had said, her mouth not tilting in its customary smile when she greeted him. "Did you just return from trip? I'm making lunch, if you would like some. Are you hungry?"

"No, thank you." She had nodded then resumed cutting the green onions that were on her cutting board.

"I understand congratulations are in order?" he had asked and he watched carefully as her shoulders sank.

"Oh. That. I guess you were told, then." She had refused to meet his eyes, but her knife stilled on the board. "I'm sorry, seonbae. After you worked so hard...I should have fought harder. But...it happened so fast – "

She had stopped talking when Ji-hu finally crossed to her, pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Jan-di," he had said, holding her close, waiting for her to relax.

"Why would you – "

"Because, for once, I was too far away to hear your emergency bell. I'm sorry."

She had pulled away after just a moment, returning to her cooking, talking quickly as she prepared lunch.

"No, it's all right. After all, we wanted to get married, so it's not like anything bad happened. I just...well you and Izzie went to so much trouble. And...we haven't told his mother – "

"Jan-di. Why?" She had paused for a long moment after his question before she finally sighed and turned to meet his eyes.

"Things have been hard for Jun-pyo since he returned from America. He worked so hard to build up Shinhwa Group the right way, but since he's come back there has been...resistance. When things became too bad, he asked Izzie to come to Seoul to help, instead of managing things from New York as she had been. More than anyone, he relied on Izzie to be his support, especially with Jun-hee's current...condition.

"He was barely holding it together these past months. I think, with Izzie spending so much time on the wedding, he felt a little lost. When she said she was leaving...everything fell apart."

"And so he gave up the wedding," Ji-hu had murmured as Jun-pyo's behavior over the past months began to make sense.

"Mm. Feeling the time tick by until Izzie left was worse than her being gone, so he is letting her go now."

They had stood in silence a moment, Jan-di allowing Ji-hu to process what he had told her. His heart had been screaming for him to reassure her that Izzie wouldn't leave, not now when they had admitted what they felt for each other, but instead he had turned his focus back to Jan-di.

"But, after everything, did you really want to give up your wedding?" he had asked her and Jan-di had frozen for a moment before she had given him a sad smile.

"It surprised me, but after we signed the contract I really felt...disappointed. I was sorry Jun-pyo would never see me in my wedding dress. I was sorry Ga-eul wasn't there. After everything...I was even sorry the F4 wasn't all together for their leader's wedding."

That had been the moment Ji-hu had heard enough. He had taken Jan-di's hand and marched back to Jun-pyo's suite, ready to demand his friend follow through with the wedding.

His stomach turned again as the car came to a stop, and it wasn't until the door beside him opened that Ji-hu was shaken from his reverie. He exited the vehicle as he thoughts returned to the moment he had opened Jun-pyo's door and heard Izzie already convincing Jun-pyo to have the wedding. He sat on one of the benches in his courtyard, staring blankly at the fountain in front of him as he held his chest, as if he could protect it from the memory of Izzie saying she really wanted to return to New York.

He had lost her.

Just like Jan-di. Just like Seo-hyun, his grandfather and his parents, though it was, of course, through no fault of their own. He was being left alone, once again, and just like each time before he felt as though he was being crushed.

_When will you learn your lesson? When will you stop being greedy and be happy to be alone?_ he asked himself as his throat began to constrict.

It was a question he asked himself over and over until he was standing in a drawing room, ignoring the jokes Yi-jeong and Woo-bin were exchanging as they waited for the groom, Jun-pyo, to join them. Ji-hu checked his watch, noting that the ceremony was scheduled to begin in ten minutes. He unconsciously began to pace, his mind calculating the time until he could return home and isolate himself in his misery.

He had quit his position at the hospital, unable to force himself to go to work when the sight of people made his stomach turn. He had removed the battery from his phone and after the first couple of visits, his friends had given up trying to solve what was wrong with him. Though he knew they were trying to show they cared, Ji-hu refused to speak with them about anything deeper than superficial, retreating back to his own world so he could nurse his wounds privately.

"Ji-hu, sit down. You're making us nervous," Yi-jeong spoke up, and though it interrupted Ji-hu's musings, he ignored his friend's request.

"Seriously, you're more tense now than at Jun-pyo's first wedding," Woo-bin added, reclining in his own seat.

"At least this time you won't be asked to break any arms," Yi-jeong quipped, causing Woo-bin to chuckle.

"Mm. And hopefully the Witch won't have Jan-di kidnapped again."

"As if Izzie would let that happen? She has a contingency plan for everything!"

Their discussion faded in his consciousness again as they heaped complements on Izzie and her planning. Of course, everything they said was true. Every detail of the wedding was inimitable, and he had overheard the guests complementing everything from the flowers to the pre-ceremony hors d'oeuvres. Even Kang Hee-soo, Jun-pyo's mother, had looked pleased as she had been seated, surveying the hall with the hint of a smile on her lips.

"Ji-hu? Are you listening?"

"Hm?" he turned back to Yi-jeong, who was exchanging a concerned look with Woo-bin. The latter stood and crossed to Ji-hu, clapping him on the back.

"_What's up, buddy_? You've been acting strange all week."

"Have I?"

"Well...not strange. You've been acting like yourself," Woo-bin admitted when Ji-hu stared at him, causing him to back off and look to Yi-jeong.

"Are you ever going to tell us what happened? Seo-hyun-eonnie said you won't even speak with her. Jan-di just keeps saying we shouldn't be concerned."

"She's right." Ji-hu crossed to an easy chair, grabbing a book from the coffee table and opening it to a random page. He watched from his periphery as his friend exchanged shrugs and returned to their seats, just as Jun-pyo walked into the room.

"Hey! Who are these lazy bastards?"

"Jun-pyo!"

Ji-hu remained seated as the others stood and greeted Jun-pyo, their laughter grating his nerves as they patted the groom on the back.

"Hey, Ji-hu, what's with your face? Did someone tell you this was a funeral?"

He scoffed at his friend's joke, tossing his book back to the coffee table as he stood. "If it was a funeral the man of the hour wouldn't be running late."

"Oh relax! I had some important business to take care of. No one will say a word about it." Jun-pyo's grin was mischievous, and Ji-hu recognized that there was something behind it. Despite that knowledge, he had no interest in investigating what Jun-pyo's 'business' had entailed.

"Of course not," he murmured as he walked towards the door. "We should go."

The three other men exchanged looks then collectively sighed, walking out the door toward the ceremony hall. They took their positions and entered the room, smiling at the guests as they walked down the aisle, taking their places by the altar as the music began to change.

"Hey Ji-hu, didn't you want to ask what was so important that I would be late to my own wedding?" Jun-pyo whispered and Ji-hu had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"Is now really the time?" he whispered back while perfectly maintaining his smile.

"Hm, I suppose not. I just thought you would be interested."

"I don't need to know of your business, Jun-pyo," he whispered back as the lights lowered in the hall, his irritation growing.

"Really? As you wish. I'll tell Jan-di I was right then, about your interest in Izzie."

At her name Ji-hu immediately tensed, his curiosity finally piqued.

"What are you talking about?" his exasperated whisper was concealed by the murmuring of the guests as Seo-hyun appeared in the doorway, dazzling in a navy gown that shimmered with crystal stars.

"For some reason Jan-di was adamant I tell you immediately that I offered Izzie a position as a vice president. She seemed convinced that would be important to you."

"And?" Ji-hu waited, holding his breath in anticipation.

"And what?"

"Did she accept!?" Ji-hu forced another smile as he realized a few heads had turned at the sharp tone of his question.

"Hm? Of course she did. The deal was far more generous than anything she would have been offered by the U.N. or State Department. Besides, she mentioned something about having something important stolen that she couldn't bear to leave behind."

Ji-hu's heart hammered in his chest and the world seemed to slow as Izzie appeared in the doorway to the hall. He reminded himself to breathe as she smiled shyly at him then stared straight ahead as she passed the rows of guests to take her spot by Seo-hyun. Ji-hu's mind buzzed with the information Jun-pyo had given him and he couldn't stop himself from staring at her.

_She's staying, she's staying_, his mind repeated over and over as he met her eyes, their green made even brighter by her plum gown, though even the crystal encrusted bodice could not compete with their sparkle. Though she was smiling, Ji-hu could see her apologize and he longed to cross the aisle and pull her into his arms, assuring her that he would always forgive her. Instead, he forced his eyes back to the aisle, watching as Ga-eul took her place and the guests stood.

Jan-di's face was truly radiant as she clung to her father's arm and walked down the aisle. His memory retraced their years of friendship, but without the familiar patter of his heart that used to accompany all thoughts of Jan-di. He glanced at Jun-pyo and almost laughed at the expression on his friend's face as he stared at his bride, almost as if he was watching a celestial being approach instead of the 'commoner' he had fought so hard to marry. Ji-hu glanced toward Izzie, who was watching the couple with a giant smile on her face and he felt his heart swell, though his mind warned him to be cautious.

_Don't be rash. She may be staying, but that doesn't mean you know her heart. She may just be staying for the position._

Doubt crept into his mind and the depression he had experienced the previous days ate at him, while hope tried to buoy his spirits. He waited impatiently for the officiant to move through the customs, desperately wanting to speak with Izzie and sort things out once and for all. He nearly missed his cue to present Jun-pyo with Jan-di's ring as his mind screamed for emcee to announce the end of the ceremony. An eternity passed before Jun-pyo was finally given permission to kiss his bride, and for just a moment Ji-hu was once again captivated by the events of the wedding.

His heart swelled with joy as he saw Jun-pyo and Jan-di kiss, laughing with the other guests as she batted him away when he tried to prolong it, blushing furiously as he led her back down the aisle. He started to step forward to escort Ga-eul after the couple, but Yi-jeong suddenly passed him, offering his arm to his cerulean-clad girlfriend and shooting Ji-hu a wink. His momentary confusion was replaced by elation and he stifled a grin as he stepped forward to meet Izzie at the altar. She tentatively threaded her arm through his, and he set his hand over hers, squeezing it tightly as he practically bolted past the rows of guests, down the hallway and out the doors to a patio he had recalled from their tour of the wedding hall.

"Ji-hu, wait! You went the wrong way, we're supposed – " he cut her off with a kiss, pulling her into his arms the way he had wanted through the ceremony. She dropped her bouquet and slid her arms around his neck, leaning against him as he held her tightly, afraid that if he loosened his grip even a fraction she would disappear. After a moment she pulled away, but Ji-hu didn't let her retreat more than a few inches.

"_Bonjour_," she whispered and Ji-hu laughed. "I...I take it you talked to Jun-pyo?"

"He told me, but I want to hear it from you." He finally released her, steeling his heart as he waited for her to speak.

"Well...Shinhwa Group offered to make me vice president of corporate organization and development. Which was basically Jun-pyo's way to keep me as his personal assistant, but give me more responsibilities and a fancier title." She spoke quickly and Ji-hu could see she was just as anxious as he felt.

"And...you accepted."

"I did."

"So, you aren't going back to New York?"

"How could I when my heart's here in Seoul? With...with you." She said it so softly, so vulnerably that Ji-hu couldn't stop from pulling her into his arms, hugging her tightly as she continued to speak, picking up steam as she went. "I didn't want to go. Honestly, even when I told Jun-pyo I was going to leave, I didn't want to do it. I was just desperate and...scared."

He pulled away enough to study her face. "Why would you be scared?"

"Because I...I was falling for you. And, I mean...well, obviously you're _attracted_ to me...but I didn't know if you could ever feel the way I did about you. And then, when you thought I was leaving, just like Seo-hyun and Jan-di, I thought you wouldn't trust me."

"But, you aren't leaving."

"Well, no. I'm not."

"And, really, you followed me."

"I...what?" The look of confusion on her face made Ji-hu chuckle as his anxiety dissipated, making the events of the past weeks clear in his mind.

"You followed me to Paris. Even though I told you not to, you still came. Why?"

"Well...I told you, I hadn't had a decent pastry in ages," she said with a smirk before she continued. "I couldn't let you go. I didn't want you to go through seeing Seo-hyun again alone."

Ji-hu watched as she began to realize what she was saying, her smile turning shy as she reached the conclusion.

"I didn't want you to ever be alone."

"How could I not fall for a woman like that?" he asked, brushing his thumb over the curve of her cheek.

For a moment he thought she might cry, then suddenly she pulled him into a kiss. He gasped as Izzie's tongue grazed the roof of his mouth and he grasped her hips as her arms slid under his jacket and she pressed herself to his body. His thumbs moved to rest in the valleys of her pelvis, his pulse quickening as he recalled the matching swallow tattoos he knew decorated her skin. He nibbled her lower lip and smiled as she mewled in pleasure, before sighing himself as she pressed against him in a way that made his blood rush and his breath ragged. His mind began debate whether or not he could lock the patio doors when he heard them open.

"Oh, there you are! We were...oh!" Ga-eul squeaked, her hand flying over her mouth as she, Yi-jeong and Woo-bin walked onto the patio. Immediately Yi-jeong broke into a wide grin and Woo-bin smirked, raising his eyebrows.

"_Oh yeah, that's my boy_!" he exclaimed, immediately causing Izzie to bury her face in his chest as Ji-hu felt his face flush.

"Ji-hu, I have to say, I never thought you had it in you. Now, I believe that was 50,000 won, right?" Yi-jeong asked his best friend and Woo-bin's expression faltered.

"But you said after the wedding – "

"I said after the wedding _day_. The reception's just started. Pay up." Yi-jeong put his arm around his furiously blushing girlfriend and held out his hand to Woo-bin. The latter growled as he reached for his wallet, shooting an accusatory look at the woman who was now giggling in Ji-hu's arms.

"You promised! You couldn't wait until after the reception? Aish!" Woo-bin whined as he handed Yi-jeong the money and Izzie finally raised her head.

"It was...out of my control, Woo-bin. My sincerest apologies," she answered, grinning as she wrapped her arms around his middle.

"Guys, we need to get back, they're waiting on us for the toasts," Ga-eul interjected, tugging on Yi-jeong's jacket, unable to look at Ji-hu and Izzie without her face reddening.

"All right, all right, we're coming. We'll leave first. See you _lovebirds_ inside," Yi-jeong teased as he ushered Ga-eul back into the building.

"Unless, you two wanted to finish first?" Woo-bin asked with a wink as he followed the others inside.

"They're right...we do need to get inside." Izzie began to pull away, but Ji-hu kept her firmly in place. She looked up at him, the confusion written on her face as he smiled at her.

"It occurs to me...you only promised to stay through the wedding."

"Yes, but – "

"And we've already tasted the cake, the champagne."

"We have..." she trailed off, waiting for him to continue with a sly smile.

"Well, I was thinking instead of listening to a jazz quartet we've already heard, perhaps you would rather go for a ride?"

The smile that bloomed on Izzie's face made his heart race and he laughed as she grabbed his hand and pulled him in the opposite direction of the door.

"It'll be quicker if we cut around to the front! Let's go."

Ji-hu let himself be dragged along, glancing back at the windows to the ballroom where his best friends' reception was taking place. For a moment he thought he saw two women smiling out at him: one wearing navy, the other in white. They disappeared from his view, however, as he turned back to Izzie, grinning when she wondered out loud if the noodle shop would still be open.

_I'll never forget you, Seo-hyun, Jan-di. Thank you_, he thought as he led Izzie to his bike, chuckling as wrestled the helmet over her hair and gathered the skirts of her gown.

_But I think it's time I try having someone's heart in exchange for my own._

As Ji-hu began to drive he felt her arms tighten around him and her head rest against his back. He smiled as he accelerated, hope blossoming in his chest that maybe, finally, things were going to work out in his favor.


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"All right, I'll admit there are still some wrinkles to be ironed out, but I really believe this is an opportunity worth pursuing." Izzie paced the hotel room, talking on her phone while Ji-hu sat patiently in a chair, reading a French paper. Izzie smiled when she heard the response she was waiting for on the other end of the line.

"Excellent, then I will bring the paperwork for you to review tonight. Yes, I know it's the wedding, but surely with Jan-di's current state you didn't plan to stay all night? As I thought. I'll see you then." Izzie disconnected the call, a satisfied grin on her face as she tossed her phone onto the nightstand.

"Finished plotting your billion dollar merger?" Ji-hu asked without ever looking up from his paper.

"Well, there's still a lot to be done, but the majority of the work is done, yes," Izzie answered as she crossed to the closet, going through the dresses neatly hanging their, some with brand new tags still attached. She jumped when she felt his hands on her hips and his lips kiss her shoulder.

"Have you eaten anything since breakfast?" he asked and Izzie closed her eyes as a shiver ran from her neck to her toes.

"Ji-hu, please, I have to figure out what to wear to your ex-model ex-girlfriend's wedding. Plus I still need to organize the notes for Jun-pyo to review and make sure Jan-di's dress arrived from Dior. Do you know how hard it was to find someone willing to create a maternity dress on such short notice?"

He ignored her protests, pulling her away from the closet and pushing her toward the balcony doors. She didn't resist, her stomach acknowledging that the pastry and coffee she had offered it had not been enough for it to survive the day. Her breath caught when he opened the doors, revealing a café table set with a variety of breads, cheeses and fruit, a bottle of wine open and waiting to be poured. She ignored the glorious view of Paris and turned to Ji-hu.

"When did you do all of this?"

"Just before you came back from your shopping trip with Jan-di. Now, sit and eat. Doctor's orders."

He guided her to one of the chairs and she grumbled good-naturedly about finding a new doctor. He poured her a glass of wine while she began to fill her plate, closing her eyes and relishing the flavor of brie on fresh baguette. She sipped her wine, her eyes curiously following Ji-hu back into their hotel room. She returned her attention to the food in front of her after a moment, but her ears perked up when she heard him return to the balcony.

"What are you doing?" she asked before taking another sip of the rich pinot noir.

"Helping you decide what to wear tonight," he said as he set a large crimson box in front of her. Her eyes focused on the gold 'Cartier' written across the top and her pulse began to race.

Izzie shot him a curious look as she set down her wine glass. He merely nodded toward the box as he buried his hands in his pockets, standing just over her shoulder. She hesitated a moment before she slowly opened the box, her breath catching as light from the setting sun hit the necklace inside, catching the diamonds on fire. She tilted the box, dazzled by the large gem-encrusted orchid with a giant diamond at its center and two tear drops dangling from its lowest petal.

"Ji-hu," she finally breathed, unable to take her eyes away from the glistening jewels.

"It took a long time for the jeweler to find the right stones; none were quite flawless enough to have the right fire," he explained as she traced her finger over the velvet beside the necklace, afraid to touch it directly.

"Ji-hu, it's too much. I can't accept this. It's so beautiful, it's...it's just too much." She looked at him, praying he wouldn't take offense. He merely tilted his head slightly and gave her a soft smile.

"It's yours, whether you accept it or not. But...would you accept something simpler?"

Izzie looked back to the necklace, still shining proudly from its crimson throne.

"You have something else?" she asked before turning back to find his hand extended, a small ring sitting in his palm.

Izzie's racing heart slowed as she took in the small gold band inlaid with tiny diamonds, then looked up to meet his eyes. He slowly lowered to one knee, and Izzie thought for a moment she might faint as he took the ring between his fingers, holding it out for her inspection.

"I tried to give this to the wrong girl once, but thankfully she refused. I hope, this time, when I say 'please marry me' the answer will be – "

"Yes! Yes, a million times yes!" Izzie launched herself from the chair, her arms encircling Ji-hu's neck as she practically knocked him to the floor. He managed to keep his balance and closed his arms around her as she peppered his face with kisses. She finally pulled away enough that he could slip the ring onto her finger, chills running up her arm as he pressed a kiss over the band on her finger.

"I love you," he murmured and, though he had said it many times before, Izzie's heart soared like it was the first time she had heard the words.

"I love you," she repeated, setting her hands on either side of his face as she kissed him deeply.

After a few moments their breathing became ragged and the comfort of the bed began to seem far more appealing than the convenience of the balcony floor. They rose, but Ji-hu held her hand to keep her from moving inside, his attention returning to the café table.

"What is it?" she asked as he released her hand and picked up the jewelry box. "Ji-hu," she pressed when he didn't answer, and she noticed his cheeks slightly flush as he stared intently at the box.

"Will you wear it, at least once? The jeweler worked so hard and I...I sort of had the thought – "

"Of me, wearing nothing but diamonds?" she asked, a wicked smile on her lips as she watched her lover's face turn completely red. Slowly, deliberately, she took the box from his hand, amazed by its weight as she held it in front of her.

"You know, I think that can be arranged," she said with a grin as she stepped back into the hotel room, leaving him frozen on the balcony. "I'll need some help, though," she called, laughing when he immediately followed her, closing the door and pulling the curtain just as the first garment fell and giggles turned into sighs.


	12. Salle 501

Ji-hu's pulse was still pounding as he led opened the door to his hotel suite, shifting so that Izzie could enter first. His stomach had begun to knot the moment they had set foot in the hotel and he now began to wonder if he would ever be able to untangle the mess she was making of his insides. He took a moment to compose himself as he bolted the door and set down her bag, breathing through his mouth to try to alleviate some of his tension.

_What is wrong with you? You've done this before! Besides, you're an F4. You know damn well how to charm a woman into a swoon. You can do this._

With renewed confidence Ji-hu turned around, finding that Izzie had wandered to the sliding glass door and was looking out at the view of Paris.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" she sighed when he joined her, her eyes still surveying the colorful sunset over the city.

"So beautiful," he murmured, brushing back her hair and running his knuckles lightly down her jaw line as he ignored the sarcastic voice in his head muttering about 'clichés'. She turned to him, smiling expectantly as his hand rested on the back of her neck, pulling her closer until he could claim her lips again. Her palms warmed his chest and he wondered idly if she could feel his heart pounding when her lips parted and he forgot how to think.

The hand that wasn't cradling her neck now found the spot just below the small of her back and right above her tailbone. He pulled her harder into his body, his blood rushing as she gasped and moved her arms to surround him. Her hands clung to his back and he felt slightly dizzy as he explored her mouth, intoxicated by her flavor. She tasted like wine and chocolate, which he assumed she had enjoyed on the plane, and another flavor that he could only identify as 'Izzie'. She began to pull her lips away and he instinctively claimed her lower lip between his teeth, his arousal surging when she moaned and rubbed against him in response. He ran his tongue over her soft bottom lip before he nipped it again, deciding to finally take the opportunity to taste the little birthmark behind her ear that had fascinated him on the day they had met. He let her push off his and unwind his scarf as he began kissing, licking and nipping her ears, neck and jaw, taking note of what made her quiver or moan.

She breathed his name when his teeth found the spot on her shoulder just below her neck and he lavished it with attention until she was practically whimpering and he was certain he had left a mark. He realized then that she had been busy unbuttoning his shirt and suddenly her lips were on his collarbone and her hands were exploring the planes of his torso. He gasped when her tongue flicked over a nipple and groan when her finger traced his spine. His hands clawed at her trench's belt until it finally came loose in his hands. Relieved she hadn't buttoned it, her jacket soon joined his on the floor, just before his shirt landed nearby. Their shoes were kicked off as his hands traced the sides of her ribs through the satin of her blouse, and her fingers found the precise spot on his lower spine that made him shudder with pleasure.

Their mouths found each other again as Izzie took his hands, guiding them back to the zipper of her skirt. He took the hint, pulling down the slider until it reached the end of its track. Izzie then stepped back, her swollen lips tilted in a smirk as she slowly slid the skirt down her hips until it pooled around her feet on the floor. Her shirt was long, giving him only a glimpse of black lace. Before she could move again he had swept her off of the floor and into his arms, satisfied when her eyes widened in surprise. He laid her gently on the bed, settling beside her as he slid his palm up the outside of her thigh, his gaze caught by the flakes of gold in her hazel eyes.

"You have the most amazing eyes," he murmured as he leaned over to kiss her lightly.

"They're nothing special," she argued as she averted her gaze to watch her finger trace his bicep.

"Liar," he said, cupping her face to force her to look at him as he removed her glasses, setting them on the nightstand. "I can't think straight when you take those off."

"Funny, I get more distracted when you put yours on," she quipped as he began to brush feathery kisses along her cheeks, temple, forehead and nose. He paused to give her a curious look and was delighted when she started blushing. "You wear them when you're relaxed, and I like it when you're willing to be comfortable around me."

His heart stuttered, but he hid his pleasure by burying his face in her neck, breathing in the scent of her hair as he nipped her neck. She gave a small yelp and the hand on his arm squeezed as he blew air on the spot he had just abused.

"I like when you're comfortable around me, too," he whispered before he marked the other side of her neck, not letting up until she was writhing in pleasure. She turned her face so that she could steal his lips' attention with her own, her tongue drawing him deeper until his leg moved over hers and his hand massaged the flesh of her hip. As he kissed her his hand moved from her hip to her belly, his thumb tracing the top of her panties before dipping into her navel. Izzie broke the kiss and shifted and Ji-hu became distracted by the view of her underwear as she began to unbutton her blouse.

Black and white lace and ribbon were woven together to create a work of art that sent another flood of blood rushing to his already hard member. He twitched, however, when he saw the two small swallows tattooed inside the valleys of her pelvis. She sighed when his fingers traced the blue and pink ink and he looked back at her.

"I thought you were scared of needles?" He almost choked on the question when he realized she had removed her shirt, revealing her full, round breasts encased in a bra that was obviously purchased with the underwear. He swallowed hard, forgetting what he had asked until her index finger slid under his chin, tilting his head until he made eye contact with her.

"I'm up here," Izzie said with a grin, and Ji-hu tried to focus on what she was saying. "And yes, I am scared of needles. But I really wanted to get them done, and a tattoo gun isn't the same as getting a shot. Plus...I took a _Xanax_ before I did it."

Ji-hu tried to listen to watch she was saying but his gaze kept returning to the curve of her breasts, his imagination fixated on what they would look like once he removed that awful fabric that separated him from them. Izzie leaned up and his eyes snapped back to her face, relieved when he saw a playful smile. She reached behind her back and suddenly the straps on her shoulders were hanging looser.

"Enjoying the view?" she teased as she slid each strap from her arm, yet still managed to keep the cups in place. She finally lay back on the bed, stretching her arms up above her head.

He looked up at her, checking for permission before he slowly pulled the bra away, revealing breasts even more perfect than he had imagined. His lips parted as any blood he had left in his circulatory system headed south. Ji-hu just stared for a moment, enjoying the way her rosy nipples pebbled under his scrutiny. After a moment he slid his hand from her hip, up her ribs until he was cupping her breast. He massaged the soft flesh, his breath growing ragged as he felt her nipple hard against his palm. He pinched it between his thumb and forefinger, watching her as she squirmed and mewled. He bent to flick his tongue over her other nipple, encouraged by the way she gasped, and soon had the nub between his teeth. Her hips lifted from the bed and Ji-hu sensed her growing impatience, but he took his time to taste every inch of her skin, small red bite marks appearing over her breasts and ribs.

She suddenly grabbed his head and pulled his mouth up to hers, kissing him deeply as her hands quickly unfastened his pants. She pushed them down his hips and he responded to her prodding, rolling onto his back so she could take the dominant position. He felt a surprising flash of embarrassment once his pants were discarded and the outline of his erection became obvious in his boxer-briefs. The feeling was quickly replaced by a wave of want as he watched her crawl closer to him, her hair mussed and her eyes dark with desire. She placed small kisses up the inside of her thigh, leaving tiny bite marks of her own as she neared his throbbing cock. Very lightly, she brushed her finger up his length, the sensation barely noticeable through the cotton. Still, he took a deep breath as drops of pre cum darkened the grey fabric of his underwear.

He closed his eyes as she moved away from his crotch, kissing and nibbling down the other side of his thigh. He laid his head back on the pillows, almost relaxing as felt her tender kisses until, suddenly she freed him from the confines of his underwear and wrapped her hand around his bare shaft. He half sat up immediately, his head spinning as she slowly began stroking him, her thumb swirling the moisture over his swollen head. A soft smirk tilted her lips and she looked him directly in the eye before she wrapped her lips around his tip.

Ji-hu's hands fist in the sheets as an almost animalistic groan escaped his throat. Her tongue was circling his head while her hand continued to stroke his shaft. She sighed, the breath tickling his pelvis before she suddenly descended, taking his entire length into her mouth and throat. His hand immediately flew to the back of her head and he had to force himself not to begin thrusting his hips. He moaned, wanting nothing more than to enjoy her obvious talent, but after so many years of celibacy he knew he would never make it if he let her attention go on any longer. He gently pulled until she got the hint and slid up his body, lying on top of him so that his erection was pressed between them.

"I wasn't finished," she pouted after giving him a soft kiss.

"I would have been if you hadn't stopped," he admitted pushing back her hair so he could nuzzle her neck, his tongue tracing the shell of her ear. She shivered and he rolled until she was pinned underneath him, her legs finding their way around his waist as he found a new spot to mark on her shoulder. Her hips ground into his, cracking the self-control he had tried to regain. He pulled away enough to completely remove his boxer-briefs, but then sat back on his heels, a realization making his stomach drop.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her concern just barely edging out her impatience.

"We don't have protection," he explained before she chuckled.

"As my doctor, shouldn't you know that I'm on birth control?"

"Oh," he muttered, the desire tightening his muscles as he swallowed hard. "I must have missed that note."

Izzie grinned wickedly and reached for her panties, but he took her hands, shaking his head as he pulled them away and whispered: "Let me." She lifted her arms above her head, sliding her hands beneath the pillow she rested on.

Slowly, Ji-hu pulled the last piece of clothing from her body, his breath catching when she was finally lying complete exposed to him. He could see the signs of her arousal glistening on her pink folds and he moved to lay beside her, capturing her mouth as his middle finger teased her opening. He felt her moan in his throat as he dipped his finger into her hot center, stifling his own groan as he began to slowly stroke her, relishing her heat and tightness. She unburied her hands and clung to him as his finger entered into her completely, then was joined by his index on the next plunge. He began to increase the speed, carefully building her arousal until his thumb pressed against her clit and he crooked his finger to touch the small rough spot that made her scream and arch her back. Her eyes were wide and cheeks were flushed as he thought of her body like an instrument, his nimble fingers searching out just the right way to play so that her nails dug into the skin of his back and her eyes begged him to finish.

"Ji-hu...please," she panted one of her hands finding its way to his almost painfully hard cock, which pulsed as she gave it a couple short strokes. He took the hint and removed his hand, positioning himself over her. He let her hand guide him to her entrance until he felt his tip pressing against her slick opening. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, fighting against the desire to ram himself inside of her. Instead, he slowly pressed forward until his head was fully enveloped by her flesh. When he was certain he wouldn't climax immediately he pressed further, opening his eyes to seek hers as he applied steady pressure until he was completely buried in her body.

Izzie pulled his face toward hers to kiss him as her legs wrapped around his. Ji-hu focused on her kiss as his body acclimatized to the snug, velvety embrace that he never wanted to leave. As the passion built in their kiss, however, he understood their mutual urgency for him to move. Long, slow strokes almost pained him, but the torture was exquisite. After a few moments Izzie ran her finger up his spine and JI-hu immediately thrust deeply into her, understanding her cue to change the pace of their lovemaking. He switched to harder, shallow thrusts, which allowed him to tangle one hand in her hair while the other massaged her breasts, teasing her nipples until the redness in her cheeks brightened. He began to rotate his hips so his pelvis pressed into clit and watched in fascination as she drew closer to her orgasm. Through sheer will he managed to keep his own climax at bay as she begged him in several languages to give her the release she needed.

His restraint began to fade as her moans filled his ears and he finally gave in, shifting so that he could drive into her, their bodies become slick with sweat as their lips fused in a desperate kiss. It was enough for Izzie and his lips and tongue muffled the sounds of her screams as her body began to spasm, her inner muscles squeezing him as he became completely focused on his own relief. Their lips parted but he rested his forehead on hers, closing his eyes to focus on the feel of her body and the sound of her pants and sultry voice. Her opening seemed to grow tighter as he felt himself swell and tighten just before the orgasm crashed over him. Each thrust prolonged the ecstasy and he nearly lost his senses as he emptied into her, every surge draining him until he collapsed on top of her.

They lay for minutes or hours in a tangled heap, their hearts pounding violently in their spent bodies as they struggled to pull enough air into their lungs. Though his nose and extremities still tingled, he had the presence of mind to move off of her smaller frame, collapsing onto his back next to her. He was vaguely aware that she turned to snuggle next to him and when he could feel his fingers again he realized they were playing with soft strands of her hair. He looked down at her, his heart squeezing when he saw she was half asleep, her swollen lips parted and her face more relaxed than he had ever seen it. Moving carefully, he managed to pull the rumpled cover over them without disturbing her. He settled beside her, toying with her hair as he watched her sleep, almost relieved that he had some time to collect himself and reflect on what had just happened between them.

_It's not _what_ happened, but _why_ it happened. And what it means_, he thought as her foot twitched, indicating her descent into deep sleep.

_Surely she can't leave now. After that...how could she even think about walking away?_

He smiled to himself as he felt his own drowsiness began to weigh on his eyelids. As he pulled her naked body closer to his he decided that he would simply make sure that, by morning, she wouldn't be physically able to walk away from him. The smile didn't fade from his lips as his breath evened to match hers and he slowly faded into a deliciously restful sleep, his mind filling with images of what they would do when they woke again.


End file.
